Joe Freshgoods Launches a Merit-Based School Store in Chicago With the Chicago Blackhawks
The educational organization of Joe Robinson, known to the sneaker world as Joe Freshgoods, has revealed a new effort aimed at motivating students at a Chicago high school.
Community Goods, the organization founded by Joe Freshgoods, and the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation, the charitable arm of the Chicago Blackhawks, have teamed up with Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School to debut a school store, dubbed Open Market Goods.
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The store, according to a statement, will offer the students opportunities to earn points “after exhibiting pre-defined positive behaviors such as good grades, merits and special acts of kindness” that can be redeemed for school supplies, sneakers and “special merchandise and experiences created by Robinson and the Chicago Blackhawks.”
The hope of the store, according to a statement, is to take student motivation to the next level and set them up for long-term success beyond school.
“My vision for this store is for every student who visits to be inspired by the principles of bold ideas, strong friendships and community,” Robinson said in a statement. “I want this space to reflect the belief that anything can be achieved with hard work and perseverance.”
Courtesy of Chicago Blackhawks
The store’s design inspiration comes from Robinson’s recent travels to Tokyo, Paris and Accra, Ghana. The reason for this inspiration, according to a statement, is because Robinson — a collaborator of New Balance, Vans, Converse and more — wants to “transport students from their West Side school across the globe, showcasing the multitude of possibilities awaiting their futures.”
“The partnership with the Chicago Blackhawks and Joe Freshgoods will impact students in their growth and responsibility toward understanding the power they have within themselves to create opportunities for themselves and their community,” said Charles Anderson, principal of Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School, in a statement. “We are looking forward to this partnership creating a new wave of excitement when we look at approaches to self-advocating, empowerment and impacting students’ ability to increase their communication skills.”
The school store is one of the ways the three will continue to work together, and their next creative endeavor is already underway. The Chicago Blackhawks and Community Goods recently hosted a design workshop for the students to create a special warm-up jersey, made in collaboration with Robinson and the Blackhawks’ creative team. The jersey will be worn Saturday when the Blackhawks face the Nashville Predators at the United Center in Chicago. What’s more, the students and their families will attend the game to see their final design.
“After working with Community Goods and Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School on successful back to school events and mental health fairs, we wanted to find a way we could further enrich the lives of the students all year long,” Chicago Blackhawks Foundation executive director Sara Guderyahn said in a statement. “Our goal with the store is to reward students in an equitable way for their hard work, positive actions and to instill in them a sense of pride and ownership in their accomplishments.”
Courtesy of Chicago Blackhawks
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