Ryan Poles, Bears Care host Scout School for Chicago students

Bears general manager Ryan Poles and Bears Care hosted the organization’s first-ever Scout School Dec. 15, bringing students from BUILD Chicago to Halas Hall to introduce them to the role of scouting in the NFL. As an organization, BUILD helps at-risk youth in the Chicagoland escape gangs and violence while instilling positive leadership qualities into each individual.

Poles, who grew a passion for scouting as a graduate assistant at Boston College, didn’t know much about that career path growing up, despite playing football since he was a child. Through over 13 years in the NFL, Poles discovered the vast number of behind-the-scenes jobs in professional sports and providing the space for kids to recognize those opportunities at a younger age was the goal behind his Scout School.

“When I took the general manager job, I wanted to make sure I could also affect the community as well,” Poles said. “Affecting the youth and inspiring them is a big deal to me, just to give them hope, give them direction and allow them to set goals was the main thing. I knew if we put some of our scouts in front of them and talked about their journeys and how they got to where they are today, [the kids] would understand that their path is very similar to a lot of folks that are working in this building.”

Partnering with BUILD Chicago on the inaugural Scout School, which Poles plans to host annually, was a crucial step when formulating the idea. Adam Alonso, CEO of BUILD, received the Bears’ Inspire Change Changemaker Award, a league-wide initiative established this year to honor an individual who is making a difference in their community.

Poles first met Alonso, earlier in the year at a Bears Care event and grew an appreciate for his dedication to impacting the community. Alonso, who was in attendance for the Scout School, said the event provided a new layer of inspiration and opportunity for the students of BUILD.

“There are a lot of different opportunities for young people,” Alonso said. “You’re not gonna be the star athlete necessarily but look at the people who are scouts. That was one of the questions – who knows if they want to be a scout? What’s the path to that? And everyone had a non-traditional journey toward being a scout which was interesting because it shows there’s not set path. Some were players, some were not and it’s just how you get here, to this place. And seeing the women here represented means a lot to our young girls who were here as well because they don’t’…