The Barbara W. Smith Life Center (BWS), a nonprofit affiliate of Covenant United Church of Christ in South Holland, Ill., is a trusted community partner serving families across the Southland.
Named in memory of the wife of Covenant’s pastor emeritus, the Rev. Ozzie E. Smith, Jr., the Barbara W. Smith Life Center, is grounded in five core pillars: food access, environmental advocacy, health and wellness, housing stability, and social justice.
At the heart of the center’s work is a deep commitment to STEAM, or science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, as a driver of growth, creativity and long-term resilience. Supported in part by funding from Cook County Department of Public Health, the center’s STEAM program has provided nearly 300 young people with hands-on learning experiences that build confidence, critical thinking, and real-world skills.
What started as a summer program in 2023 quickly grew into something bigger. Youth explored gardening, sustainability, robotics and creative problem-solving while also receiving meals and mentorship in a safe, welcoming space.
“It became this big vortex of community issues spinning together,” said the Rev. Underwood, the center’s executive director. “Environmental awareness, food access, teamwork, learning—It all connected.”
Today, STEAM touches nearly every part of the Life Center’s work. Youth learn through hands-on activities that include art, theater, LEGO-based collaboration, and even a return to “analog” learning using physical books, handwriting, and group projects that encourage focus, communication, and conflict resolution.
“Creative play is a big part of how we do this,” said Underwood. “It helps kids build confidence, work together, and find their voice.”
This spring, BWS Life Center is expanding its STEAM vision even further with the launch of a new videography and media production program for high school students from four south suburban high schools. Designed to meet teens where they are, the program builds on their interest in platforms like TikTok and Snapchat while teaching real-world media skills, portfolio development and career pathways. Students who complete the program will be eligible for stipends.
“We’ve focused a lot on third through eighth grade,” Underwood explained. “This program lets us reach high school students and give them tools they can actually use to step into a future career.”
Partnerships with public health and community organizations have been essential in making this work possible—allowing BWS Life Center to support not just individual youth, but entire families.
“We try to connect with the whole family,” Underwood said. “These partnerships help us keep momentum going, even when resources are tight.”
As BWS Life Center enters its seventh year, its STEAM programs reflect a simple but powerful belief: When young people are given space to create, learn, and lead, entire communities grow stronger.
Learn more about the Barbara W. Smith Life Center at https://bwslifecenter.org /.