With funding for athletic programs in the Chicago Public Schools extremely limited – every dollar counts, says Kenneth Lecomte, athletic director of Mather High School on the north side of Chicago.

And that’s what makes support from Kia of Lincolnwood so important for the Mather Rangers. A public-private partnership facilitated through DistrictWon, the Kia dealership that serves Lincolnwood, Skokie, Highland Park and the surrounding areas has made contributions to the athletics program at nearby Mather High School.

“The added funds we get with our partnership with Kia of Lincolnwood help greatly,” Lecomte said. “These added funds enable our athletes to continue playing other competitions in their chosen sport.”

Karol Sikora, general manager at Kia of Lincolnwood, says the partnership is a win-win situation for both parties.

“We like to support the young players and of course promote the Kia brand and our dealership within the community. It’s the perfect way for us as a brand to be present in the community.”

Kia’s “Movement That Inspires” marketing campaign that it publicizes through Mather High School events has resonated with the students and the local community.

“The slogan “Movement That Inspires” directly correlates with what our athletes do when they play sports, Lacomte said. “’Movement’ is what our athletes do every time they take the practice field, or anytime they compete in their chosen sport. And our coaches instill in our athletes to ‘inspire’ to be great at whatever they do in life. Go be your best.”

Kia of Lincolnwood also uses its community partnership to remind parents to talk to their kids about safety on the roads, particularly during nationwide events like National Teen Driver Safety week in October. Schools partnering with Kia spread the word on social media through tweets using the hashtag #MovementThatInspiresDW.

During Mather High School football games, announcers have highlighted Kia of Lincolnwood’s partnership with the school and banners display the Kia logo at games.

Kia generated a buzz when it displayed one of its newest models, the stunningly designed all-electric Kia EV6, during a high school football game.

“We took a picture with all the players in front of the car and the school principal. It was great to see all the young people coming and checking it out and taking pictures; it’s a good way to promote our business and our products and to be recognized in the community,” Sikora said.

The positive feedback about the partnership from the local community keeps rolling in.

“We have been having families arrive at our dealership and ask questions about the cars and a lot of people who live around our dealership came and said it’s amazing that we’re supporting the high schools,” Sikora said.

Rocky River, Ohio-based DistrictWON creates meaningful brand connections within local communities through marketing partnerships between businesses and high schools. For more information on how to reach high school students, parents and administrators in a way that truly makes a difference in the community, visit https://www.districtwon.comhttps://www.facebook.com/districtwon, or follow https://twitter.com/districtwon on Twitter.