💻 From Under the El
If you’re reading this, stop. No, seriously. Go outside. Do it now. The good news can wait. If you’re reading this outside, bonus points for you. Double up that serotonin. Today is gorgeous but the weekend is bringing a return to cold, gray days, so if you need a little mood boost, here it is: New Trier students are building custom cars so toddlers with mobility challenges can zoom around, 15 women and teens are fundraising and educating to end the country’s #1 health threat, and several events are coming up that will let you rock out for great causes. It’s Friday. Let’s have some good news.
⏰ tl;dr
Teen engineers in Winnetka are turning toy cars into life-changing mobility tools. 30 toddlers went home with custom rides thanks to New Trier’s Go Baby Go program.
Chicago heart-health leaders are going after the No. 1 health threat, fundraising and educating for a cure
Lawyers Rock brings lawyer-led bands to a battle at Bottom Lounge to raise money for a better, more equitable justice system
🌻 What’s Going Right In Chicago Today
🏎 High schoolers build “freedom” cars for toddlers who need mobility help
A classroom engineering project becomes real independence for kids who just want to move, play, and keep up.
At New Trier High School in Winnetka, students aren’t just learning how to build things — they’re learning why it matters. Through a program called Go Baby Go, students in an Intro to Engineering class spend weeks modifying electric ride-on cars for toddlers with mobility challenges.
One of the kids they helped is 3-year-old Alia Stambaugh, who has Aicardi syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. Her dad described it as breaking down barriers so kids can interact more typically.
Felt very proud and just happy seeing her so happy in the car that we made
And it’s not small-scale: 30 toddlers went home with tailor-made cars, built with help from student work plus partnerships like the Illinois Spina Bifida Association.
💝 15 Chicago leaders launch a high-stakes push to take on heart disease
A Chicago cohort is mobilizing money, attention, and community education toward the city’s biggest health threat.
The American Heart Association is tapping 15 Chicago women and teens to power a campaign running now through spring, aimed at fighting cardiovascular disease, Chicago’s (and the country’s) No. 1 health threat.
The effort is split across two programs. Eight teens are part of Teen of Impact, a nine-week competition where nominees lead community education on heart and brain health while raising funds. Meanwhile, seven local changemakers are participating in Woman of Impact through Go Red for Women, focusing on women’s heart health, clinical care gaps, and fundraising for research and education.
“When we come together, we are stronger than the leading cause of death, cardiovascular disease. Each of the teens and women participating will use their time, talent and influence to educate the community about their risk, encourage them to take action to improve their health, and raise critical funds to continue the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association.”
Image Credit: globalguy / Google Maps
🏗 Two major Southland landmarks just got real money behind their comeback
Long-awaited restorations for the Congress Theater and Pullman’s Hotel Florence move closer to reality.
Who in Chicago hasn’t walked past the Congress Theater on Milwaukee and quietly wondered if it’ll ever be restored to its former glory? Well, the wait is finally over. A rebuild of the iconic performance space is expected to start within weeks after the city secured a $25 million loan, with completion projected by December 2027.
And down in Pullman, Hotel Florence — the historic anchor inside Pullman National Historic Park — just landed a $100 million renovation grant. Reports say the plan is to turn the 145-year-old hotel and its surrounding area into boutique hotel, new restaurants, and a “mind-blowing entertainment experience” that showcases its history and includes a music venue and a local hub where artists can showcase their work.
🧑⚖ Legal win keeps school mental health grants alive
A court decision backs Illinois (and other states) in a fight to protect school-based mental health support.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is highlighting a court victory tied to mental health grants for K–12 schools.
According to the AG’s office, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with a coalition of attorneys general in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s discontinuation of previously approved grants. The ruling rejected an attempt to change deadlines around grant continuation decisions and sent the matter back down for compliance.
The stakes here are huge. These grants support 14,000 mental health professionals in U.S. schools, including low-income and rural communities. They allow countless kids to access support at school in many places where it’s their only option.
“Mental health professionals in schools meet a critical need in Illinois and across the country. Ensuring that students have access to support is essential to keeping schools and communities safe. I appreciate the court’s decision, and I will continue to stand with my colleagues to oppose the administration’s illegal actions that come at the expense of Illinois students and communities.”
🗓️ Eye On the Chi
Music Will Benefit Chicago 2026
This live music event raises money to support 43,000 students and nearly 200 teachers in music programs at Chicago Public Schools.
When: March 5, 6 to 9:30 p.m.
Where: Garcia’s Chicago
Lawyers Rock 2026
This battle of the bands raises money to improve the state’s juvenile justice program and offer second chances to support incarcerated adults.
When: March 4, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Bottom Lounge
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