ICAN breaks ground with help of Justice O’Connor

Sandra Day O'Connor.

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will be the guest speaker at a groundbreaking ceremony for a project that will allow the ICAN Community Center to expand its services to at-risk youth by 55 percent.

The ceremony will take place at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 18 at Folley Memorial Park in Chandler.

For more than 20 years, the ICAN Community Center has offered preventative programming to at-risk youth, providing free academic and recreational programming and empowering kids to avoid drug use, gang activity and crime and become active contributors to the community. About 150 youth per day are currently being served.

O’Connor’s “commitment to youth and children’s rights, and her continued recognition of social equity for kids” makes her alignment with the project particularly significant, says ICAN Community Center CEO Christy McClendon.

Also present at the ceremony will be Chandler Mayor Jay Tibshraeny, members of the City Council, ICAN’s board of directors and contributors to the project.

ICAN’s current facility, located in the Chandler Redevelopment Area, has 6,000 square feet of space. The 5.6 million dollar new facility will grow that area by 15,000 square feet, sitting on 2.5 acres in its new location at Folley Memorial Park.

It will include six classrooms, a half gym, a learning center, offices and conference rooms. Construction is scheduled to wrap up in the summer of 2012.

The groundbreaking ceremony will include a virtual tour of the new facility, which will be outlined on the ground at the site, as well as the interment of a 20-year time capsule.

Light refreshments and food will be served during the groundbreaking event, which is free and open to the public.

For more information about the event, or about ICAN, call 480-821-4207 or visit icanaz.org. — Sadie Smeck

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor talks about the Our Courts project, a website designed to boost interest among middle schoolers about civics education. With interactive games for students and curriculum builders for teachers, O’Connor’s vision is to inspire students of the 21st century to remain active participants in our democracy. RAK Podcasts.

ICAN earns award for efforts to reduce underage drinking

The 3rd annual Eight PBS Be More Awards recognized ICAN for Outstanding Education Outreach for efforts to reduce underage drinking through community awareness.

ICAN is a nonprofit organization located in the downtown Chandler Redevelopment Area, and was one of seven nonprofits recognized.

“It was unbelievable and amazing. We were nominated last year and excited, but to receive the award was completely unexpected and humbling and inspiring at the same time,” said Christy McClendon, chief executive officer of ICAN. “It is also important that the award was based on the youths’ work. To recognize them for their work was a great test on their futures.”

ICAN helps reduce underage drinking through its peer leaders, who range from 13 to 18 years old, and the Chandler Police Department , which uses shoulder tapping, signage compliance checks, and town halls to inform the community about the dangers of underage drinking.

“The average age for youth in the Chandler Redevelopment Area to take their first drink is 12.6 years old and over 80 percent of the 10th graders identify with using alcohol in the last 30 days, so it’s a significant issue for the area,” said McClendon. “We brought together a group of kids about three years ago and asked them what we should do with the issue and those kids…founded a coalition on substance abuse which takes on the issue of underage drinking.”

ICAN will also be a top five finalist for the 2010 Non-Profit of the Year Award.

On June 30th, Eight, Arizona PBS will feature ICAN and other award winners on a half-hour primetime television special, “Be More Inspired.” To learn more about becoming involved in ICAN’s work to reduce underage drinking in the Chandler Redevelopment Area, contact ICAN at 480-821-4207.