“That ride!” Raven laughs, shaking her head at the memory. “But we knew these rides were taking us to new places and new heights.”

That van represents something profound about DREAM. What began as Harlem RBI, with an old van and an office that was “just a long hallway,” has evolved into a network of seven schools serving 3,000 youth and alumni. For Raven and her best friend and cousin Jasmine Delgado, the journey from that fish van to today tells a story only DREAM could write.

The early years

In 1991, when Harlem RBI first started, the program was set up for a small group of boys. It didn’t take long for that to change. Jasmine and Raven, along with a group of neighborhood girls, demanded a league of their own just a year later. By the next season, they had their uniforms and gear on, ready to go. 

The door (and the gate to the field) was always open at Harlem RBI. Whether after school, summer time, or Saturday mornings, the two friends found themselves in that office, hanging out with friends. “It was our safe space,” Raven recalls. Later, as young teens, Raven and Jasmine traveled abroad for the first time, led journalism clubs, and competed in championship games.

Soon, Harlem RBI began offering formal after-school and summer programs for kids in elementary school. But leaders at Harlem RBI recognized that out-of-school hours weren’t enough. 

While students did well at Harlem RBI, they still struggled in persistently low-performing schools. Virtually all Harlem RBI kids would graduate from high school, but very few made it to college, with many returning  a semester or a year later. They were unprepared not just academically, but lacking comprehensive support systems — from navigating college applications and financial aid to securing internships and developing the emotional resilience — that college success demands. Families needed a full educational alternative.

This is why the decision to launch DREAM Charter School was made, and in 2008 we opened our doors. It was an ambitious but essential goal to serve our kids, our families and community in a more holistic and impactful manner. 

“In all my years with DREAM, I’m always heard. If I have an issue, it’s figured out quickly. It’s a village.”

Raven Escalante
Harlem RBI alumni & DREAM parent

 

Full circle choices

Fast forward three decades, and both women faced the same question that countless parents confront: where to send their children to school. For Raven, the choice was obvious. “It was a given for me. I already knew.” 

Jasmine’s son Xavier, didn’t start at DREAM until ninth grade. “I regret not sending my son in the beginning to RBI, to be honest,” she admits. “I should have known better.” Today, Jasmine’s two younger children are also enrolled at DREAM.

Xavier, who wasn’t even considering college when he arrived at DREAM, is now a freshman at Buffalo State University, pursuing a business degree. “It’s remarkable to see the intelligent, natural leader he’s become,” says Jasmine. “More than anything, he’s a positive example for his sisters, and that makes me so proud.”

Raven’s son, Ravik, has grown into a focused and determined young man. “He could be going through a lot, but he always pushes through. His mind is focused, he knows what he wants in life,” Raven says. Ravik is also starting his first year at college, at SUNY Geneseo.

Growth that keeps the heart

For both parents, watching their children thrive has reinforced why they chose DREAM. In addition to the rigorous academics that prepared the boys for collegiate-level education, “The resources are amazing. Both of our sons have traveled abroad, played sports, and have had incredible opportunities we didn’t have,” Raven observes. 

“”At other schools, when you reach out about your child, you’re often met with silence or runaround,” Raven explains. “In all my years with DREAM, I’m always heard. If I have an issue, it’s figured out quickly. It’s a village.”

Both Raven and Jasmine value that DREAM’s support doesn’t end at graduation. Through the Legends program, all graduates receive continued support and guidance for up to six years, from mock interviews and resume reviews to internship placements, career panels, mentorship programs, and professional development workshops. “Most schools cut you loose at graduation, but six years of continued support? That’s unheard of.” Raven notes.

What hasn’t changed, both women agree is, “The family feeling. The open doors. Being able to reach out and knowing someone will be on the other side.” It’s that same sense of community that made a group of neighborhood kids in the 1990s become a family. 

Last June, as Ravik and Xavier walked across the graduation stage, their mothers – who once learned to never give up on the softball diamond – watched DREAM transform those same values into college preparation and lifelong support networks.

“If you would have asked us this then, we would have had no idea that 30 years later this would have happened,” Jasmine muses. The fish van may be long gone, but the mission remains unchanged: taking young people exactly where they are and helping them reach exactly where they’re meant to be.

The post Two mothers, two graduates, and 30 years of DREAM appeared first on DREAM.

“We are proud to partner with Brigaid in their effort to make school meals that are high quality, healthy, and accessible to all children,” said DREAM co-Chief Executive Officer Richard Berlin. “Food has such a crucial impact on every part of a child’s life, including mental and physical well-being, social-emotional growth, and performance in the classroom. At DREAM, we take great strides to ensure our students have everything they need to fulfill their greatest potential, and this new from-scratch food program is the latest support we can provide for them and their families.”

Founded by former Noma head chef Dan Giusti, Brigaid is a team of professional chefs who help institutional foodservice programs thrive. The company provides strategic program assessments, hands-on staff training, and full-time chef placements to empower programs with the culinary expertise needed to consistently serve wholesome and high-quality meals. At DREAM, the majority of food is prepared from scratch in three state-of-the-art kitchens by an in-house culinary team under the guidance of Brigaid chef Persefoni Vordokas. All meals are free.

“At DREAM, we take great strides to ensure our students have everything they need to fulfill their greatest potential, and this new from-scratch food program is the latest support we can provide for them and their families.”

Richard Berlin, DREAM co-Chief Executive Officer

“Everyone deserves access to nourishing food that is thoughtfully prepared,” said Brigaid Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dan Giusti. “We are extremely excited about this opportunity to collaborate with DREAM on building what we hope will become an exemplary school foodservice program.”

89% of DREAM students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and children in DREAM’s East Harlem and South Bronx communities have historically been among the most likely in New York City to face food insecurity in their lifetimes. Partnering with Brigaid is the latest step in DREAM’s work to ensure students and families are fully supported. During the pandemic, for example, the organization distributed more than 10,000 bags of free food to its communities in partnership with S. Katzman Produce, led by Stefanie Katzman, a DREAM Board Member.

DREAM Charter School at 20 Bruckner Boulevard, which officially opened its doors in early 2023, is equipped with three restaurant-style kitchens that currently serve breakfast, lunch, and snacks to students. Over the next several years, DREAM looks to expand this program to its other campuses in East Harlem and Highbridge.

“At DREAM, we are deeply committed to educating the whole child, and partnering with Brigaid allows us to create even more supports and access to things children need to lead full, healthy, productive lives,” said DREAM co-Chief Executive Officer Eve Colavito. “I’m looking forward to all the strides we will make with this year’s from-scratch food program, and where we will take it in the future.”

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As guests round the corner on the third floor of the new DREAM Charter School at 20 Bruckner, they’ll see a splash of bright color beyond one of the floor’s two lightwells. Getting closer, a 19- x 100-foot mural comes into full view, an original piece that depicts DREAM’s three-decade history, from its founding as Harlem RBI in 1991 to present day.

The central components of the mural spell out DREAM, with each letter encompassing part of the organization’s evolution. The piece highlights DREAM’s first summer and afterschool academic programs, the opening of the first DREAM Charter School, the establishment of DREAM’s post-secondary and career support services, and the organization’s deep ties to its communities and families.

“We’ve done murals all around the world, but a thing like this makes a difference,” said Bio, one of the founding members of the legendary graffiti art group Tats Cru, who created the mural for DREAM, in addition to many of the murals in the surrounding Mott Haven neighborhood. “It brings art and color into a space that would normally be bland.”

The scale of the piece pays homage to DREAM’s aspirations for its students, as well as the expansion that DREAM plans for its artistic programming now that 20 Bruckner is open. The light-filled, 3,800-square foot Arts Wing just beyond the mural’s walls includes 23-foot barrel-vaulted ceilings and views of the East River and Manhattan skyline, the perfect setting for ideation and creative expression.

And when DREAM’s Mott Haven Elementary and Middle School students move into 20 Bruckner next school year, they’ll already be well-versed in this creative expression. The budding artists have created several large works for the hallways of their current school location, emulating artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kehinde Wiley, learning the art and history of weaving techniques, and celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, to name a few.

Most importantly, developing the pieces is often tied to larger lessons and themes that broaden students’ understanding of the world around them. Last year, for example, a self-portraiture mural was created in tandem with a unit on colors, and specifically, a lesson on the beauty of skin tones. Students then studied the finished piece and opened it up for class discussions, similar to an Art History class.

“It was a wonderful representation of how different we all are, and how beautiful it is when we come together,” said Visual Arts Teacher Elise Thomm.

You can see more of this special project on DREAM’s Instagram, and hear how the creation of the Tats Cru mural came about on DREAM’s YouTube channel.

Don’t forget to check back as we continue to count down to the official move-in for DREAM Mott Haven Elementary and Middle Schools this August. Come DREAM at 20 Bruckner. To see more inside 20 Bruckner, you can watch recaps of DREAM Charter High School’s first day of school and the official 20 Bruckner ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The post DREAM at 20 Bruckner: The Art of the Matter appeared first on DREAM.

The DREAM maxims amplify the values that have guided DREAM since 1991 and will carry it into the future—a collection of phrases that outline the core beliefs we have as an organization and that provide the framework for each day at DREAM:

• All Kids Can. This Kid Can.
• DREAM is Family.
• Teamwork Makes the Dream Work.
• Fun is a Serious Value.
• DREAM Big.
• Fail. Persist. Exceed.

DREAM believes so strongly in its maxims that they are an integral part of the PreK-8 entrance of 20 Bruckner, the main area that will receive DREAM Mott Haven Elementary and Middle School students when they officially move in for the 2023-24 school year. Walking past the familiar home plate logo with all six maxims, the most prominent display is part of the main access to the elementary and middle school classrooms—the All Kids Can staircase. A suspended metal structure lit up on both sides, it includes a climbing environmental graphic reminding students that all children can reach their highest aspirations, especially them.

DREAM believes so strongly in its maxims that they are an integral part of the PreK-8 entrance of 20 Bruckner, the main area that will receive DREAM Mott Haven Elementary and Middle School students when they officially move in for the 2023-24 school year.

As students ascend the All Kids Can staircase, they will also climb closer to the opening of one of two lightwells, designed by Sir David Adjaye to bring natural light into 20 Bruckner’s interiors. Because the lightwells run the entire height of the building and up to the roof, students will have a clear view of the sky above them, a subtle note that the sky is the limit for all they can achieve. One of the first things students will see when they enter the building, the All Kids Can staircase will set a tone for all of their days at their new school site.

“20 Bruckner is a physical manifestation of our students’ hopes and dreams for themselves – a place that finally matches up to what our kids deserve and dream,” says DREAM co-CEO Eve Colavito. “It represents a community that comes together to support them in exercising their agency and power in the world.”

To see more inside 20 Bruckner, you can watch recaps of DREAM Charter High School’s first day of school and the official 20 Bruckner ribbon-cutting ceremony. You can also read more about the maxims on the DREAM website. And, don’t forget to check back as we continue to count down to the official move-in for DREAM Mott Haven Elementary and Middle Schools this August. Come DREAM at 20 Bruckner.

The post DREAM at 20 Bruckner: All Kids Can appeared first on DREAM.

“We must remind our young people, in all the work we do, that their block should never block their blessing, and their zip code should never deny their destiny,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson at the ceremony. “That’s what today is all about.”

In addition to Gibson, Elsie Encarnacion, Chief of Staff for New York City Council Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, New York State Assemblymember Amanda Septimo, and New York State Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr. all joined in the morning’s celebration to share a few words about DREAM’s impact. Following the speaking program in the Arts Wing, guests then joined DREAM co-Chief Executive Officers Richard Berlin and Eve Colavito to cut the ribbon in front of the building’s Bruckner Boulevard entrance, officially opening 20 Bruckner and marking the next generation of DREAM’s work in Mott Haven.

“Today, as we officially open this beautiful new school, I want to recognize that impact and how it can transform a life, a family, and a community. I know it did for me and mine.”

Alex Ruiz, Jr., DREAM Legend and Postsecondary Success Coordinator

Designed by world-renowned architect Sir. David Adjaye, 20 Bruckner is a 120-year-old former ice house transformed into a state-of-the-art school for DREAM students, featuring a full-court gymnasium, cathedral-style library, STEAM quad, and rooftop play space. In addition, the building has two dining halls and a fully equipped kitchen that will support a scratch-cooking meal program.

While DREAM Charter High School students moved into the building earlier this month, DREAM Mott Haven Elementary and Middle Schools will call the building home in the fall of 2023. Eventually, 20 Bruckner will serve approximately 1,300 New York City students and their families.

“DREAM has been around for 31 years, and its generational impact is part of what makes it so special,” said Alex Ruiz, Jr., a DREAM Legend who now works as the organization’s Postsecondary Success Coordinator. “You have alumni who grow up and send their kids to DREAM Charter School, or who, like me, come back and work here. So today, as we officially open this beautiful new school, I want to recognize that impact and how it can transform a life, a family, and a community. I know it did for me and mine.”

You can view more about DREAM’s 20 Bruckner Ribbon Cutting in the following press clips, and watch the recap video below.

In the News:

• NY1 Noticias, “DREAM Charter School opens in the Bronx” (January 19, 2023)
• News12 The Bronx, “State of Our Schools” (January 19, 2023)
• amny, “New school on a South Bronx block: DREAM Charter School unveils K-12 campus expansion in Mott Haven” (January 20, 2023)
• NBC New York, “Learning in New State-Of-The-Art School” (January 20, 2023)
• News12 The Bronx, DREAM co-CEO Richard Berlin joins “State of Our Schools” (January 25, 2023, clip begins at 9:24)
• National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Blog, “Moving In: Dreams Turned Into Reality” (January 27, 2023)
• The Bronx Free Press, “Our children deserve this space” (January 28, 2023)
• BronxNet, “DREAM Charter School Ribbon Cutting” (January 31, 2023)

The post Opening Ceremony: DREAM’s Official Ribbon Cutting for 20 Bruckner appeared first on DREAM.

What the students found when they entered the building was a 120-year-old former ice house—built by Colonel Jacob Ruppert, a brewer and developer of the first Yankee Stadium—transformed into a school equal to their biggest dreams and highest aspirations.

Designed by world-renowned architect Sir. David Adjaye, 20 Bruckner includes a state-of-the-art gym with a regulation-size basketball court; a cathedral-style, light-filled library space; STEAM quad featuring specialty classrooms and laboratories; double-height arts wing with built spatial flexibility; and a rooftop that will function as an outdoor classroom, play space, and garden. In addition, the building has two dining halls and a fully equipped kitchen that will support a scratch-cooking meal program. Bronx graffiti legends Tats Cru created a large-scale mural on the third floor depicting DREAM’s organizational history, with more local artists to be confirmed for building-wide art activations. And, multiple classrooms and other shared spaces feature sweeping views of the Harlem River and the Manhattan skyline.

“To be in this building is very exciting,” said 11th grader Milanni Gidron. “This is something that we’ve been talking about for a very long time, and the suspense has built up. To finally be in it, it feels like the first day of school all over again, and I’m excited to be here.”

While DREAM Charter High School students get settled in their new space, DREAM Mott Haven Elementary and Middle Schools prepare to move into the building in the fall of 2023. Eventually, 20 Bruckner will serve approximately 1,300 New York City students and their families.

You can watch more highlights from DREAM Charter School’s first day at 20 Bruckner in the video below.

The post 20 Bruckner: The New Home of DREAM Charter High School appeared first on DREAM.

An essential part of DREAM’s Grow the Whole Child model, summer programming helps ensure students have continuity between the support they’re receiving during the school year—including social-emotional, academic, and physical-wellness development—and the summer months. Studies demonstrate that, on average, students in the United States lose 39% of their school year gains during the summer. That’s why preventing learning loss is a critical part of DREAM’s summer programming, and for 95% or more of participants in recent years, it’s worked to keep them at or above grade level between semesters. But DREAM’s strongest emphasis is on ensuring that relationship-building and social-emotional health are supported year-round.

This summer, DREAM will offer the following programming for Grades PreK-7, focusing on academic support, social-emotional learning, athletic development, and enrichment activities.

REAL Kids (Pre K-Grade 4)
REAL Kids is an award-winning summer program that uses the power of teams to help youth develop academic, social, and emotional skills through a unique literacy, team-building, and baseball/softball curriculum. Enrollment includes regular reading instruction by a certified teacher, four free Friday field trips, breakfast, lunch, and snacks for all participants, and team uniforms (including two t-shirts, one pair of baseball pants, and socks). REAL Kids locations for Summer 2022 include East Harlem, Mott Haven, and Highbridge.

DREAM University (Grades 5-7)
Open to all DREAM middle school scholars, DREAM University is a summer program in both East Harlem and Mott Haven that uses the power of teams to help youth develop academic, social, and emotional skills through engaging STEM and literacy programs, team-building, and an athletics curriculum. Enrollment includes math and ELA sessions to prepare students for the next grade, access to athletics at Roberto Clemente State Park, and breakfast, lunch, and snacks for all participants.

Rookies (Rising 1st and 2nd Graders)
DREAM Rookies is a co-ed t-ball league for rising 1st-2nd graders that takes place on Saturdays at the Field of Dreams in East Harlem. Participants are placed on teams coached by volunteers who teach sportsmanship, teamwork, respect, potential, effort, and fun through baseball/softball. Each participant will not only learn baseball/softball skills, but will also learn skills in making friends and being part of a team. Rookies receive a team uniform, including a t-shirt, baseball pants, and socks, and participate in the Rookies awards ceremony. First and 2nd grade students enrolled in REAL Kids during the week are welcome to also spend their weekends with Rookies!

Registration for all DREAM Summer 2022 programming is now open, and all DREAM scholars (including incoming students) are guaranteed a spot. Non-DREAM students are also welcome to register for REAL Kids and Rookies, as space allows. All of DREAM’s summer programming is free.

The post Looking Forward to a DREAM Summer appeared first on DREAM.

“Afterschool was how DREAM began,” says Andrew Waters, DREAM’s Director of Elementary Programs. “That acknowledgment and firm belief that kids need more support than what they may be receiving during the school day.”

Currently, DREAM provides free afterschool programming for students in kindergarten through 8th grade, creating more opportunities to drive key outcomes (in addition to DREAM’s free summer programming, which together form the foundation of the organization’s extended-day, extended-year model). Across the board, programming is centered on teambuilding and team-based concepts, while leveraging the power of relationships in informal settings. The goal is to create additional “at bats” for social-emotional work; athletics, health, and wellness; and continued academic enrichment.

“The more hours you get, the more impact you can have,” says DREAM’s Managing Director of Programs, Kalila Hoggard. “In most affluent communities, kids have a host of opportunities. We want to make sure our kids are getting exposure to those same opportunities.”

REAL Kids
DREAM’s REAL Kids afterschool program services children in grades K-5, at DREAM’s schools in East Harlem and Mott Haven, as well as at public New York City schools in those neighborhoods. The REAL Kids team partners closely with each of these schools to determine goals and preferred outcomes, which helps them better structure the students’ experience and think about each day holistically—from the first morning bell to their evening pickup.

Students in REAL Kids receive programming in several areas, delivered throughout the week: social-emotional learning, physical activity, new experiences enrichment, and academics. For Waters, ​​the afterschool space is “the most responsible for fostering a love and passion for any activity that a child finds interesting,” noting that REAL Kids provides opportunities for students to participate in dance, yoga, alternative sports, and cooking classes. “Without REAL Kids, it’s hard for many schools to provide those opportunities for kids to pursue those interests,” he adds.

Dreambuilders
At the middle school level, Dreambuilders is the afterschool programming for DREAM’s East Harlem and Mott Haven students in grades 6-8. A continuation of REAL Kids, Dreambuilders also puts an emphasis on team building, community, and enrichment, while adding a focus on leadership. Throughout the afternoon, students engage in different activities and projects geared toward social-emotional learning, positive identity, and communication skills. While every day starts with a mindfulness session and homework help, students also participate in sports and movement activities, as well as their choice of club, ranging from the step team to karaoke.

“We want to make sure that our kids have a place where they belong, where they are supported to be their best selves,” says Reuben Harris, DREAM East Harlem Middle School Dean of Programs. “This goes back to DREAM’s Grow the Whole Child model. We can really dive into it deeply during afterschool, have fun, and make sure kids are getting the one-on-one attention they need to thrive.”

“In many places afterschool is just a childcare solution. Afterschool is part of our strategy. Extended day doesn’t just mean more hours. It’s an intentional, strategic way to extend and create those through lines.”

Kalila Hoggard, Managing Director of Programs

Combatting the Effects of the Pandemic
DREAM’s traditional models for both REAL Kids and Dreambuilders held true throughout the pandemic, with the focus on social-emotional growth and team building remaining the core component of DREAM’s afterschool work. But shifts have been made to ensure children are getting all they need to combat any pandemic-related effects. In the REAL Kids program, Waters says an emphasis has been placed on adult social-emotional learning this year—how his team of workers are preparing to lead classrooms full of students. In Dreambuilders, Harris says his team has been intentional about the leadership curriculum, using it to speak to social skills and communication, as well as any social-emotional gaps created by the pandemic. Getting students moving as much as possible has also been a large component of both programs, after a year in which many, by necessity, led more sedentary lifestyles.

The results have been compelling. Despite COVID-related limitations, 73% of DREAM’s youth in grades K-12 experienced growth in SEL competencies over the course of the last school year. Overwhelmingly, DREAM families also report that their child is learning what they need to succeed in college and beyond (97%).

Outside of DREAM, the REAL Kids program is also seeing its model succeed within the New York City public schools the program serves. “DREAM has served as a safe haven for our students and families by providing an afterschool program which offers academic activities, addresses the social and emotional wellness of our school community, promotes physical health, and provides a safe, structured environment for students,” says P.S. 18 Principal Lauren Sewell Walker.

It’s Not Just Afterschool
By pairing baseball with afterschool academic assistance 30 years ago, DREAM began its efforts to help children and families in East Harlem combat poor outcomes in local New York City schools. Now, that initial idea has transformed into DREAM’s extended-day, extended-year model, creating a seamless continuum of learning and engagement in and out of the classroom, all day and all year long. This model is an asset that sets DREAM’s schools and programs apart from its peer organizations.

Through REAL Kids and Dreambuilders, DREAM has been able to strengthen its relationships with students and families, assist students in their pursuit of academic success, and continue their social-emotional growth, even during the most trying times. Afterschool not only endures as part of DREAM’s offerings, but is core to the organization’s commitment to leveling the playing field for all kids.

“We see afterschool as part of the model, not just an add-on,” says Hoggard. “In many places afterschool is just a childcare solution. Afterschool is part of our strategy. Extended day doesn’t just mean more hours. It’s an intentional, strategic way to extend and create those through lines.”

The post Extended Day, Extended Year: DREAM’s Tradition of Afterschool Success appeared first on DREAM.

“The way you chip away at barriers that exist is to provide access,” said Yankees Senior Vice President of Community Relations Brian Smith, who led the initiative. “Things like how to prep affordable healthy meal options, how to take care of yourself physically on a daily basis, and how to take care of yourself mentally—we wanted to show kids what they need to do to be running on all cylinders, and put them in a lane to become our future leaders.”

Through Fueling Our Future, DREAM students participated in five weekly virtual seminars with Yankees employees who are experts in their respective fields and provided guidance on mental health, physical fitness, and healthy eating. Gibson, who oversees all dining at Yankee Stadium, led two sessions focused on nutritional lessons, like label misconceptions, the dangers of poor long-term eating habits, and the proper way to select foods that fuel the body—in each session, students prepared and customized their own healthy meals with food supplied by the Yankees. In addition, Yankees Associate Director of Mental Conditioning Chris Passarella led discussions aimed at promoting positive thinking, while further sessions detailed the importance of remaining physically active.

“We had staff members jumping up to be involved,” said Smith. “Because of what this program represents, everyone was honored to participate.”

Fueling Our Future falls under the auspices of the Yankees Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which focuses on identifying and combating disparities and systemic inequities in our society. Smith added that a special inspiration for Fueling Our Future was the legacy of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American man to play Major League Baseball.

“The way you chip away at barriers that exist is to provide access—we wanted to show kids what they need to do to be running on all cylinders, and put them in a lane to become our future leaders.”

Brian Smith, New York Yankees Senior Vice President of Community Relations

“We wanted to recognize the work [Robinson] put in to make it possible for people like me and others to do what they do,” Smith said. “These initial DREAM students will be that first group to represent that access and inclusion [via this program].”

The inaugural summer of Fueling Our Future culminated in a September 5 trip to Yankee Stadium, where DREAM’s students saw the Yanks square off against the Orioles and were treated to box seats, new Nike gear, and the opportunity to announce the game’s starting line-ups on the YES Network.

“Our students learned a lot this summer through the Fueling Our Future sessions,” said DREAM East Harlem Middle School Dean of Programs Reuben Harris, who worked with the Yankees to implement the initiative. “All of the sessions were thoughtful and engaging and gave our students access to further their own physical and mental health. Our scholars were treated to the experience of a lifetime.”

After such a successful first summer for Fueling Our Future, Smith said he hopes DREAM’s participation can serve as a model for the Yankees to increase the program’s impact, potentially growing Fueling Our Future at DREAM, throughout New York City, and, even nationwide.

“To have an organization like the Yankees support DREAM on a regular basis is tremendous,” added Harris. “Our students feel valued and important to collaborate with such a celebrated and successful baseball team. We are excited to continue to work together as one team to lift our scholars up towards their dreams.”

The post Fueling Our Future: A DREAM Summer with the New York Yankees appeared first on DREAM.

“We know that kids learn best in person, and that ‘in person’ doesn’t have to mean in a classroom,” says DREAM Executive Director Richard Berlin. “Kids need space to be kids. And after over a year away from their friends and teachers, this summer, we need to communicate to them that the pressure is off. They can get out on the field, be with their friends, and practice the first real skill they learned: how to play.”

This July, DREAM launched its 2021 summer programming for youth ranging from Pre-K to pre-college. Multiple offerings—including our award-winning, nationally recognized REAL Kids summer learning program—run until mid-August, fully in-person and guided by the policies that have kept DREAM Charter Schools safe and operational over the past year and a half. During this critical summer, DREAM will serve over 1,000 New York City youth, including the majority of its current school population.

“This summer, kids need time to heal,” adds Kalila Hoggard, Managing Director of Programs. “Play-based programming like ours, focusing on social-emotional health as well as academics, gives them the structure and support to do just that.”

Here is a high-level breakdown of DREAM’s programs for scholars during summer 2021, from incoming Pre-K students to DREAM Charter High School alumni:

Pre-K and Elementary School: Serving 800+ students over six weeks of camp, REAL Kids is DREAM’s largest summer program. Programming each day consists of two hours of reading enrichment, social-emotional learning activities, and physically active games and exercise sets led by college-aged youth workers and paid DREAM high-schoolers, with field trips and outdoor activities every Friday.

Middle School: The four-week DREAM University program, serving over 120 students, offers programming that consists of ELA and Math instruction, social-emotional learning through advisory and leadership activities, and team-based athletic programming. Plus, rising sixth graders receive an extra week of programming which serves as a middle school orientation, featuring introductions from staff and older students, team-building exercises, and more.

High School: Over 70% of high school students will participate in various summer tracks, including project-based learning; SAT preparation; and summer employment with REAL Kids and DREAM University (see below).

Alumni (DREAM Legends): DREAM Legends will participate in the College Bridge program to prepare for the transition to college. They’ll also be offered individual case management to support their success on their post-secondary path.

Youth Employment: 100 high school-aged students facilitate workouts, team building activities, and support enrichment activities as paid coaches and mentors in REAL Kids and DREAM University.

Kids need space to be kids. And after over a year away from their friends and teachers, this summer, we need to communicate to them that the pressure is off.

Richard Berlin, DREAM Executive Director

“Summer has always been a crucial time at DREAM: for preventing learning loss, connecting youth with employment and internships, and team-building both on and off the field,” says Berlin. “Our summer 2021 plans are the continuation of a steadfast commitment to student and family support that only deepened as East Harlem and the South Bronx experienced outsized COVID infection and death rates.”

For DREAM, which has been open for hybrid learning since October 2020, ensuring that kids and families have an in-person summer is the next step on the path to reopening its doors for 100% in-person learning come the first day of school.

The post A DREAM Summer: Making the Most of Our Model appeared first on DREAM.