Vondale Singleton
Founder & CEO
Vondale Eugene Singleton Sr. was born on the Southside of Chicago in the Ida B. Wells housing projects. Despite a challenging childhood he beat the odds, becoming a first-generation college student, graduating from Oral Roberts University with both his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees. He credits his mentor, Steven Robertson as the person who invested in him sacrificially to help him become the man he is today. For the last sixteen years he has worked as an advocate in primary, secondary, and higher education, as both a teacher and administrator. He believes that “salvation plus education is an unbeatable combination.”
Quote that inspires me: “Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.” – Jim Elliott
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Michael Jordan-G.O.A.T (no debates)
Favorite Sports Team: All Chicago Sports Teams
Gavin Lamb
Chief Operating Officer
Gavin Lamb is a Pittsburgh native who graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2005 and has worked in education on the Southside of Chicago since 2005 as an elementary and high school teacher, administrator and football coach. He has been involved in CHAMPS since its inception and is dedicated to the mission of making CHAMPS available to young men throughout the Chicagoland.
Quote that inspires me: “Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Ephesians 4:1;
Favorite Sports Team: Pittsburgh Steelers!!!
Jacob Morgan
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Jacob, a native South-Side Chicagoan, has experience as an administrator in Charter Schools and Chicago Public Schools central office. He has also been a collegiate Women’s Basketball Coach at North Central College and the University of Illinois at Chicago respectively. Jacob uses his experience and passion to close the equity gap in the inner city, particularly for young men of color.
Jacob earned his undergraduate degree from Northern Illinois University and obtained his master’s degree in Educational Leadership (M.Ed) from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Jacob, his wife, Ashanti, and their three children(Jacobi, Miles, Aubrey) currently reside on Chicago’s South Side.
Quote that inspires me: “Liberating education consists in acts of cognition, not transferals of information.” – Paulo Freire
Christian Terry
Program Director
Christian Terry was part one of the original CHAMPS Mentees when the program first began in 2014 and has been an active CHAMPS member ever since. He has now moved into a leadership role as Program Director to continue developing his passion of influencing youth. He is also the founding coach of Gary Comer’s GZOg Nation dance team and was named Coach of the Year in the Noble Network in 2019 at the age of 19.
Amirius Clinton
CHAMPS DJ, Mentor, Community Organizer
Amirius Clinton is a results-driven, Political Science graduate of Northern Illinois University (NIU). Originally from the south side of Chicago, and a graduate of Simeon Career Academy High School, he knows all too well the challenges faced by our young people in the city. While at NIU, Amirius was involved in local politics and government, he reestablished the NAACP chapter at NIU, and was appointed as a State Delegate on behalf of Illinois. After college he continued in community organizing in a variety of roles, which is what brought him into CHAMPS. You’ll find him DJ-ing virtual classes and in-person events, and mentoring youth along the way. Amirius is a man of many talents with passions ranging from community organizing to fashion, entrepreneurship, music, arts and much more.
Guiding Young Men to Achieve their Dreams
BROTHERHOOD ~ CONSISTENCY ~ POSITIVE MINDSET ~ UNCONDITIONAL LOVE ~ SERVICE
The Mission of the CHAMPS Male Mentoring Program is to Educate, Empower, and Expose African-American and Latino Young Men beyond the four walls of the school in order to help them to achieve their dreams and goals.