Education is the engine for opportunity and the
cornerstone of our democratic system of government. Yet in some areas
of our community fewer than
half of the children in a fifth grade class will complete high school.
The
implications of this extraordinary dropout rate include loss of income,
hope and individual contributions to community life. This human tragedy
impacts not only the children fighting for survival; it drains our
community’s
vibrancy and financial resources. The “I Have a Dream”® Foundation
is an educational enhancement program designed to increase the overall
high school completion
rate of our students. “I Have a Dream”®’s goal
is that all Dreamers graduate from high school prepared for advanced
study or rewarding employment.
The foundation “adopts” an entire grade level of children
from an elementary school with low-income levels and a history of
poor academic achievement. It provides support to help them graduate
from
high school plus college scholarships for all those that graduate
from high school.The beauty of “I Have a Dream”® projects are their
simplicity, focus, and track record of success. When the foundation
adopts a class of children, “I Have a Dream”® promises to:
- Provide supportive services and enrichment
programs for Dreamers to help them graduate from high school.
- Provide financial assistance for either a college or vocational
education to every Dreamer that graduates from high school.
Important program elements include: mentors
and tutors; after-school and summer activities; long term relationships
with caring adults; college preparatory experience; assistance applying
for scholarships; job shadows; cultural events; connections with
community resources; and employment counseling.
We provide more than
just academic enrichment to help our students achieve their
dreams. We know that relationships make the crucial difference. We
build
a bond of trust and friendship that often makes our staff the
only safe harbor in our Dreamers stormy lives.
- A shoulder to cry on in a time of grief;
- A warm hug and a ready smile to acknowledge their importance in the
world;
- An advocate who can navigate through school red tape;
- An ambassador who opens doors to worlds they would never even see;
- And most importantly, an adult who believes in their potential,
an adult who sees a first generation college graduate, and
refuses to accept anything short of their best.
Because at “I Have a Dream”®, we believe in our
students and they ultimately come to believe in themselves.The foundation
team is
a collection of extremely caring, devoted individuals from a range
of disciplines. They are sponsors, project coordinators,
AmeriCorps members plus financial contributors and community volunteers.
This team connects Dreamers to the resources of a caring community
including schools, cultural institutions, business, industry, and
volunteers. Together
with the parents, their role is to support Dreamers by serving as
a guide, friend, tutor, or counselor. The relationship exists on
a personal basis
and for the long term. These long-term relationships with caring
adults help nurture the children at vital times in their lives.
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