Turning Setbacks into Success: Honest Game’s Impact at Kenwood Academy
Kenwood Academy, part of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) district, is not just a place of learning; it’s a hub of opportunity for its students. This is especially true for student-athletes like Ivan Moore, whose dream of playing Division I college football was almost derailed by unexpected academic challenges.
Thanks to Honest Game, Ivan’s story became one of triumph rather than disappointment.
The College Athletic Pathway
Ivan Moore, a high-achieving student-athlete, was on track to fulfill his dream of playing college football. With his athletic prowess and strong academic record, Ivan had secured a scholarship offer from Northern Illinois University. However, in his senior year, he discovered a critical issue—he was short on course credits for NCAA academic eligibility due to one course that was not NCAA approved. This revelation threatened to derail his college plans, as neither his coaches, counselors, nor recruiters were aware of the problem.
Ivan faced the possibility of losing his scholarship and being sent home, potentially dropping out of the post-secondary education pipeline. Without Honest Game’s intervention, Ivan might have lost his chance to pursue his dream and build his future.
“When you have kids like Ivan that come through the program and they do things the right way and they get a little help when they need help from you all at Honest Game, and from all their academic support that they have, they give themselves some incredible opportunities.” – Matthew Fidati, Kenwood Academy’s Athletic Director
The Role of Honest Game in Building Stronger Communities
Honest Game’s impact at Kenwood Academy goes beyond individual success stories—it contributes to the overall strength of the community. By empowering schools with data-driven tools and strategies, Honest Game ensures that students like Ivan Moore can achieve their full potential without falling through the cracks. This not only helps individual students succeed but also enhances the reputation of the school and inspires others on what is possible.
“[Ivan] is one example but there’s a lot of other student-athletes at Kenwood. They’re going onto some bigger and better things athletically, but then academically as well. They do a really good job of sending kids to college here. We’re going to keep leaning on this partnership because it’s great for our students and our school and our district and we’re just really appreciative for Honest Game. ” – John Lopez, Athletic Program Coordinator, Kenwood Academy
Honest Game’s approach is designed to uplift a student’s entire school village – parents, teachers, counselors, coaches – and the greater community by streamlining the academic eligibility processes and fostering transparency among students, staff, and families. This transparency helps create a culture of accountability and support, where every student’s path to college and beyond is clearly defined and monitored.
Ivan’s success story is just one example of how Honest Game is making a difference in communities across the country.
Guiding the College and Career Journey Across the Country
Right now, Honest Game operates in over 400 schools in 32 states, but there is still a long way to go to improve graduation rates, student learning outcomes, and post-secondary opportunities nationwide. 44% of high schools are at risk of their students not being NCAA eligible. One wrong high school class could block a scholarship or eligibility to play at the next level, which makes educational tools like Honest Game profoundly impactful in opening doors to future opportunities for all students.
“Honest Game is honestly the reason why I’m here. It was such an easy process for me [to get started]… Honest Game really took care of the bulk of things.” – Ivan Moore, Student-Athlete, Northern Illinois University
By ensuring that students like Ivan Moore are equipped with the resources and support they need to succeed, Honest Game is helping to build stronger, more resilient schools and communities. Set up a meeting with one of our experts to learn more about how Honest Game can support your student, school, or district.