As her senior year got underway, two of the many people who reached out to Carolina Carchi were teachers she’d had in elementary school.

“You were amazing when I had you, and you are still showing them how to turn a terrible experience into an amazing opportunity to learn and grow,” one wrote.

Another wrote: “I. AM. SO. PROUD. OF YOU!!!!… You are AMAZING! I was so proud and not at ALL surprised.”

Carchi received these and dozens of other messages praising and encouraging her after a Block Club story revealed she had taught her own classes during a teacher shortage at her high school.

This is a replay of the original episode from last September, with an update from Mina at the end!

Read The Updated Story Here

Read The Original Story Here

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Who we are

Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, relevant and nonpartisan coverage of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods. We believe all neighborhoods deserve to be covered in a meaningful way.

We amplify positive stories, cover development and local school council meetings and serve as watchdogs in neighborhoods often ostracized by traditional news media.

Ground-level coverage

Our neighborhood-based reporters don't parachute in once to cover a story. They are in the neighborhoods they cover every day building relationships over time with neighbors. We believe this  ground-level approach not only builds community but leads to a more accurate portrayal of a  neighborhood.

Stories that matter to you — every day

Since our launch five years ago, we've published more than 25,000 stories from the neighborhoods, covered hundreds of community meetings and send daily and neighborhood newsletters to more than 130,000 Chicagoans. 

We've built this loyalty by proving to folks we are not only covering their neighborhoods, we are a part of them. 

Some of us have internalized the national media's narrative of a broken Chicago. We aim to change that by celebrating our neighborhoods and chronicling the resilience of the people who fight every day to make Chicago a better place for all.