Providing leadership to young people, in particular young athletes, is something that has always been a passion for Calvin Works.

He started a nonprofit called Empowerment Network in college with the goal of providing young people with leadership qualities and helping them figure out a path to the future they want.

It was a passion as he worked his way through Kankakee District 111 for 11 years, four of which he spent as an assistant principal at the high school.

It remains a passion for Works as he prepares to take over as athletic director at Bishop McNamara on July 1, where he said he’s excited to be able to continue supporting young athletes at another level.

“I think it was just, if I’m being honest, the way God worked it out,” he said. “The opportunity came that Bishop Mac was looking for a new athletic director and I was in search of an administrative leadership role.”

A 2006 Momence graduate, he played basketball and football during his high school days before beginning his college football career at the NCAA Division II level at Quincy. He then transferred to the Division I level at Grambling State in Louisiana.

After being able to follow his own plan to success, he said he enjoys helping others do the same.

“Most of our students don’t have a plan for what they want,” he said. “They just want the outcome and result. My goal is to give them the steps to get to that outcome.

“...I’m really excited about the role I have now because I get to help families that probably thought about coming to Bishop Mac and never thought they could possibly come here, and giving them a guidance to show it can be possible and what it looks like to invest in their child’s education.”

Before joining District 111, Works worked at the Garden of Prayer Youth Center in Kankakee and the SPEED Academy for Lifelong Learning in Chicago Heights. He also got his MBA at Olivet Nazarene in 2019.

Throughout his own journey with education and athletics, Works said he’s come to see how important it is for students to work on becoming as well-rounded as possible, whether they want to excel in athletics, academics or both.

“My experience is understanding that coaches and collegiate programs, they’re looking not just for the best athletic kid, but they’re looking for holistic, developed kids who have the ability to handle tough situations when it comes to sports, as well as the requirements and responsibilities in academics,” he said. “I think it’s important that our students, we don’t just focus on one side of it.”

As he enters a new phase of his career, Works said the support his wife, Patrice Works, and his children, Montel and Tamiya Wilburn, Jaya West, and Zyon Works have provided over the years has helped make things easier.

He’s also gotten words of support and encouragement from former colleagues from District 111 and beyond since his hiring was announced on June 11.

“My family, friends and colleagues that I’ve worked with, since they found out I’m taking this new role, they’ve supported me and reached out and asked if I needed support or anything, and just congratulated me,” he said. “They’ve been a part of my life as well and I want to let them know I’m appreciative of what they’ve done for me over the years.”

Having spent much of his life in the area, Works is familiar with the traditions that come along with Bishop McNamara athletics.

As he gets ready to begin his own chapter with the Fightin’ Irish, he said he’s grateful to become a part of that history.

“Of course I know Bishop Mac has a longstanding history, a rich history of success both academically and athletically,” he said. “I definitely want to be a part of building on the strong foundation that is existing at Bishop Mac. I think it’s a wonderful opportunity. A perfect opportunity came at a perfect time and I’m excited I was chosen to continue the legacy that’s been there.”