Chicago Bulls Scholars Earn High Marks for Team

With the pending retirement of Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls Community Services Department began preparing its own defensive strategy to keep the fan base committed to the team – win or lose. The Bulls had spent years working with PCI to build goodwill in the community through its involvement and charitable works and now sought a signature program that would demonstrate its dedication to the city.

Bulls management earmarked a sizable fund to be used and was particularly interested in supporting an educational effort that would make a difference.

PCI arranged a meeting with Chicago Public Schools leaders to discuss potential opportunities. The Bulls wanted a program that would:

• Support academic achievement
• Provide incentives for a wide representation of Chicago students
• Have measurable goals
• Allow Bulls representatives to stay closely involved with the program

After collaborative planning, the Bulls Scholars program was created and launched with a three-year, $3.5 million contribution from CharitaBulls, the Bulls' charitable arm. The contribution provided teacher salaries, instructional texts, computers and other materials. The program was created as a competitive, after-school initiative that provided advanced education in English and algebra to motivated students. Students were evaluated regularly by their teachers and had to pass an examination to receive credit for the program. The Bulls provided regular incentives in the form of special events; school visits by Bulls players, coaches and other team representatives; as well as tickets to Bulls home games.

The program’s central component was the opportunity for 7th and 8th grade students to earn high school credit in either algebra or English. Middle school students were targeted because that is the age when experts have determined children make the decision to drop out of school. The program's goal was to decrease drop out rates by easing students’ transition to high school.

The launch announcement news conference received saturation coverage from Chicago media with more than 100 broadcast and print stories providing positive coverage of the Bulls community service efforts. Articles with such headlines as “Bulls Are A Class Act” and “Hoopsters Hype Reading” proved that media acknowledged the Bulls’ good work off the courts. When the Bulls did not make the playoffs that year, Chicago reporters were quick to note that the Bulls’ home stadium, the United Center, was “alive with action” during the Bulls Scholars celebration at the final game. 

Bulls Scholars was considered such a successful program by the Chicago Public Schools system that, after the three-year development period funded by the Bulls, the Schools took the program in-house and funded it for an additional three years.