In early December, Connor Kids Academy celebrated successful fall events with boys in both the Cincinnati and Dayton markets. The events marked the expansion of The Connor Group Kids & Community Partners’ fastest-growing start-up endeavor.
CKA is a year-round enrichment program that positively and profoundly impacts young men through the power of sports. And it’s made possible by the efforts of Connor Group associates.
“We are mainly funded by property sales, so when a Connor Group associate does something to improve a property’s value, it helps Connor Kids Academy and that’s pretty cool,” said Alex Klein, the Director of Connor Kids Academy.
The program is based on in-person events and an interactive app. The app is meant to inspire kids to create healthy habits and make good choices. Engagement on the app is measured and top performers, in true TCG fashion, are rewarded and recognized.
At the fall events, top performers on the app received a new pair of Jordan shoes. (Alex secretly communicated in advance with winners’ parents to get their shoe sizes and preferences.) Along with lunch, activities and that special R&R presentation, kids attended a Dayton Flyers or Cincinnati Bearcats basketball game.
According to Alex, “One of the biggest reasons we do the fall event is to reinforce the year-round commitment the kids are making to better themselves.”
Participants enter the academy right before fifth grade and become alumni in the spring of their seventh-grade year – meaning each child spends almost exactly 1,000 days in the program. During the summer, they attend sports camps that have featured NBA, NFL, and collegiate athletes, and reconvene for fall and spring events. Currently the program operates in Cincinnati and Dayton, and CKA plans to expand to two more markets in 2023.