“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.

With DREAM’s roots as a youth-serving nonprofit organization, that commitment to family and community engagement has been a pillar of our work for more than 30 years. Today, we continue to strengthen that partnership through DREAM Family Action Councils (DFAC), a unified, informed team of DREAM families and staff who work together to support our mission and commitment to student learning.

“It is important for schools and school networks to facilitate strong partnerships with parents and families, because it helps build a sense of community among parents, teachers, and students,” says Crystal Sanchez, President of DREAM East Harlem Middle School’s DFAC, whose children attend both the middle school and DREAM Charter High School. “Families often have greater insight into the child’s life at home, which allows them to adapt classroom learning to best help the scholar.”

DREAM’s DFAC roster currently consists of five full councils in East Harlem and Mott Haven, with another launching soon for DREAM Highbridge families. These DFACs work to develop an active and involved family body at each school, and serve as a means of communication between families, faculty, and administration—linking school and community. What’s more, DREAM Family Action Councils travel annually to Albany in a contingent of DREAM families to join peer networks and elected officials in celebrating charter education’s impact on student success and calling for continued government support.

“As a DREAM parent, it’s important to be involved in DFAC, because it gives us an opportunity to be part of a powerful association to advocate on behalf of our children and advocate for families’ interests and concerns at the school and district level.”

Crystal Sanchez, DREAM East Harlem Middle School DFAC President

Through volunteering, fundraising, participating in events, and providing input on decision-making processes, DFAC members promote a sense of belonging among DREAM families and champion our maxim “DREAM is family.”

“As a DREAM parent, it’s important to be involved in DFAC, because it gives us an opportunity to be part of a powerful association to advocate on behalf of our children and advocate for families’ interests and concerns at the school and district level,” says Sanchez.

Earlier this year, all of DREAM’s DFAC members came together at the DREAM Charter School at 20 Bruckner to launch the new year, align on goals, and share their experiences as DFAC members and DREAM parents. It was the first full gathering of DREAM DFACs since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the largest gathering of DFAC members since the first DREAM Charter School opened its doors in 2008.

“Families are our deepest connection to our communities,” said DREAM co-Chief Executive Officer Eve Colavito at the January breakfast. “The biggest part of making DREAM more than a school is all of you.”

You can learn more about DREAM Family Action Councils by reading our DFAC brochure at the link.

The post DREAM is Family: Meet Our DFACs appeared first on DREAM.

The team at DREAM is led by Brigaid Chef Persefoni Vordokas, who brings with her over a decade’s worth of experience in restaurants across the country. Learn more about Chef Perse and DREAM’s from-scratch food program in the Q&A below.

Interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

DREAM: Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
Chef Persefoni: I was born and raised in Miami. I’m a first-generation American from Greek parents, and I’ve had a large Latin influence in my life from living in Miami. I worked in some restaurants there, some fine dining restaurants, some that have Michelin Stars, and then I got an opportunity two years ago to be the executive chef at a resort out in Telluride, Colorado, where I redid the entire food program, including banquet menus, catering, breakfast, lunch, and apres ski. One of my friends from Telluride ended up getting a job with Brigaid and moved to California, and I got really interested in the work they were doing by following her career. When I saw a position open up in New York, I applied.

DREAM: What made you want to join Brigaid?
CP: Helping kids eat wholesome, nourishing meals at school, and seeing it being done at high volumes, without flavors being compromised. Also seeing how the chefs around the country weren’t scared to try new dishes that aren’t your common chicken nuggets. That definitely pulled me in. And really, after so many years in the restaurant industry, all the hours you work, you ask yourself “what’s the drive? What are you cooking for?” I was never a chef who cared for the merit. For me, it was always about making an impact in the community I was working in.

DREAM: DREAM works to ensure that students have everything they need to pursue their dreams. How does access to quality, healthy food support that mission, in your view?
CP: With access to fresh, healthy meals, kids can be more present and just feel better, because they’re eating better. I started at a juice spot doing smoothie bowls, and I was definitely into the health side of food. I’ve done triathlons, so I’ve always been into nutrition and knowing how food fuels the body. So I think that’s really important, especially with what I’m doing now. It’s also about giving kids choice and agency over what they’re eating. Empowering students to make choices around food can teach them important life lessons.

DREAM: What’s it like working in DREAM’s kitchens vs. working in a professional restaurant?
CP: These are some of the nicest kitchens I’ve ever worked in. They’re so well thought out, and make sense ergonomically. In a kitchen, if things aren’t in the right spot, then a cook is wasting energy on steps back and forth. These kitchens are very well thought out for mass production. We also have the luxury of having seven walk-in refrigerators and freezers in the building, and we have spaces dedicated to certain types of food, like meat, baked goods, fruit, dairy. The majority of food is made from scratch—from doughs to muffins to sauces, so that we can make sure it’s not too much sodium, sugar, etc. Having a set-up like we do at DREAM makes sense for proper product turnover and rotating stock. It’s top-notch, everything is new, it allows us to execute a high volume of meals in an efficient manner, and we can give kids a variety because we have the space to store it—we can plan ahead so that we’re never behind in serving kids their meals.

DREAM: How have the children been reacting to the food?
CP: The younger ones are definitely vocal. Once you give them the platform to talk, they will let you know what they like and don’t like. You build these relationships with them, and when they say they don’t like something, we take that into account. It’s nice to see them light up when they have a choice in the matter. With the older students, you’ll see in their actions if they’re excited about a certain meal. In line, they’ll get so excited. We encourage students to try new things, if they’re comfortable doing so. It’s important to let them know they can ask, to make them feel seen, and to let them know that we’re here for them.

DREAM: What are some of the most popular meals so far?
CP: Pizza is a very popular day. When we do mojo chicken with rice and plantains, that’s a very popular meal. Chopped cheese. They love breakfast for lunch: French toast, sausage, and home fries. We show them that you can do the familiar things in a healthy way—that it’s all about portions and having a balanced plate.

DREAM: What is your favorite meal you’ve made at DREAM so far?
CP: Just last week we served bok choy. Every kid tried it and we got overwhelmingly positive feedback. Chicken fricassee was one of my favorite ones, too, because it’s not something kids get daily. It’s different. Picadillo has also been great. Coming into this new year, I’m going to start playing more with the menu and creating more recipes. Things like Buffalo cauliflower to go with pizza, veggie lo mein and different pastas, different salads, yogurt parfaits, or just switching up the turkey sandwich. Small changes to familiar dishes so students can experience something they never tried before.

DREAM: Why is trying new types of food so important for children?
CP: I think it helps make them more confident when they’re older, so they’re not scared to step outside their comfort zone. It can affect social interactions too—people may feel insecure eating with other people if they’ve never had something. There’s no judgment here in these cafeterias. If you want to try something and see if you like it, that’s totally fine. To give these kids that power, to show them they have an opinion that matters, I think is so big for social skills and confidence.

DREAM: Is there anything else you’d like the DREAM community to know about Brigaid?
CP: Overall, we’re an organization that cares. We don’t subscribe to one definition of “good food” but are really open to helping foodservice teams succeed in achieving their unique goals. We also want to help students understand and appreciate the hard work and talent that goes into school meal operations. DREAM has done a really good job of showcasing that this is a valuable future career for their students who may be interested in this industry. I think it’s a great partnership, and it’s a lot of fun.

The post DREAM Spotlight: Brigaid Chef Persefoni Vordokas appeared first on DREAM.

In the DREAM Q&A below, hear more from Eve on her personal connection to this maxim, how it informs her work, and her path as an educator and leader.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

DREAM: Can you tell us a little about your background, before you became co-CEO of DREAM?
Eve Colavito: I started my career as a teacher, which is what I always knew I was going to do. Shortly after, I realized I lacked some of the skills I needed to meet the needs of the kids in my classroom. So I decided to go back to school and get a degree in special education. I wasn’t confident I would become a special education teacher, but I knew there was something I was missing in terms of the depth of knowledge I had about kids. I then used that learning to help found an inclusion program at a charter school in the Bronx before coming to DREAM. My first role here was Director of Curriculum and Instruction, then I was the second principal of our first elementary school, and I have continued to grow with the organization since then.

DREAM: You said you always knew you wanted to become a teacher. What was the driving force behind that?
EC: One, I come from a family of teachers. My grandmother went back to school in her 50s to become a teacher. My mom was a special education teacher. My dad was a teacher and then a principal, and then a district leader. My dad always lived and breathed his work. His students would be at our house, they were our babysitters. Education was just in the air everywhere. The second reason was Mrs. Joseph, my third grade teacher. She had a really remarkable way of being incredibly caring and holding us highly accountable. I remember how much I loved her, and I wanted to make her proud. I was a very good student, but I got in trouble one time, and I remember her distinctly holding me accountable. I was probably really embarrassed, but I also remember not wanting to let her down. I remember thinking, “I wonder if I could ever be like Mrs. Joseph.”

DREAM: What was it about DREAM and its mission that first stood out to you?
EC: When I was a classroom teacher, I was part of a very small school that had a wonderful community—families sent multiple kids there year after year, and the school felt like a family in many ways. There was a connection between leaders, teachers, and families that felt unique.

Years later, when I was introduced to DREAM, there was this sense that this school was trying to be something more than a school. It was rooted in the East Harlem community. And I found myself really itching to get back to a place that felt more like a family, somewhere where we were all deeply connected to a purpose, where we were grounded in something bigger than ourselves. Knowing DREAM and Harlem RBI’s history, meeting the people who worked here, and then seeing that the school was trying to do something different—it all drew me in.

DREAM: You have such an extensive background in childhood education, but I would assume being a parent to three school-aged children (ages 17, 14, and 9) also affects your approach to what you do. Has being a parent changed or reinforced any of the ways you approach your work?
EC: I parent in a lot of the ways I believe educators should teach—I think kids need a combination of deep love and support, alongside really high expectations and a belief they can do anything. Becoming a parent reinforced that for me as an educator. As a parent, you know the ins and outs of your kids—what time they woke up, what they ate, why that first period is hard for them, which subjects they’re struggling with. You know all of these things, because you only have your kids. But when you’re a teacher or a school leader, you have many kids in front of you every day. As a parent who’s also an educator, you’re carrying these two truths in your head all the time—that every single person in front of me is an individual with a diverse set of needs affected by so much, and that you have a responsibility to teach all of them. It’s really hard to carry these two things together—the deep understanding of the individual and the mandate of the collective that education requires. Really excellent teachers do both. They can move through the work keeping both in mind all the time. And maybe I knew that before I became a parent, but I think the empathy I have for parents and the people who teach our kids every day became stronger.

DREAM: Your daughter Vivian has Angelman Syndrome, a neurogenetic condition that can cause developmental delays for children. How has what you’ve learned through her educational pursuits informed your work at DREAM?
EC: I had studied special education. I learned how to teach kids with reading disorders. I learned about neurodivergent kids as a graduate student, and then I taught neurodivergent kids as a teacher and led a program for neurodivergent kids as director. And then Vivian was born with this rare condition. More than anything, what has been reinforced for me is how important it is to presume unlimited potential in every child.  We have to think about kids with disabilities in really unique and individual ways, with an understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all for our kids who are neurodivergent, and that the spaces, environments, and tools they are given really have to match who they are.

After Vivian was born, when we started to have conversations with her therapists and her teachers, asking what kind of school she would thrive in, we knew it should be a place where you could leverage her assets and build on her strengths, while still giving her all the supports and interventions she needs academically. Vivian is a joyful ray of sunshine, and while she is non-verbal, she finds many other ways to communicate. Could we find a school that would see these strengths in her? When we went to shape what that program would look like, there were some things that stood out to me as necessary ingredients for inclusion programs that are also modeled here at DREAM.

First, I think one of the necessary ingredients is a strong community. You can’t drop an inclusion program into a community that doesn’t have a sense of belonging. The community has to see including kids with disabilities as part of the fight for equity in our country. It has to be more than ‘admirable’ for a place like DREAM to serve all kids – it has to be wonderful and necessary to fulfill our purpose. At DREAM, we have a set of leaders who believe deeply that all kids are our community’s responsibility. That we have a responsibility to meet kids where they are, and that we do not lower the bar, but in fact work extra hard to help them meet the bar.

The second thing is having highly skilled teachers that believe in what we’re doing. It’s one thing to have community, and then there’s having the individuals who can execute. I think it’s one of the reasons teachers come to work at DREAM—we aim to be an inclusive environment where all kids belong. We end up attracting the kind of teacher that wants to put their all into finding out what assets you’re going to leverage for every kid. Our teachers, just like Vivian’s teachers, see each child’s own unique ray of light.

The third thing I learned about creating successful inclusion models is that you need concrete tools and skills. I think that’s the area we are now growing for DREAM. We have an incredible community, teachers who are committed, and strong data-driven practices—and we’re in the process of building the technical skills and tools to meet a more diverse range of learners. We don’t yet have kids at DREAM who have as profound disabilities as Vivian has, but that’s the next level of work we need to do. That’s our next frontier.

DREAM: DREAM’s population includes nearly 30% of students who have identified special needs, a number that is well above the New York City average. How has DREAM equipped itself with the tools needed to support this population?
EC: The thing that DREAM excels at is represented first and foremost by our maxim All Kids Can. This Kid Can.—the strong belief that every kid belongs and every kid can achieve. It’s required as a foundation for what we do. When we meet a new child who presents with some difference, our approach is to learn about them, observe, gather data, figure out what their assets and strengths are, and leverage those things. We approach from a learning orientation and a strengths perspective. So many schools meet kids and look only at deficits—what can they not do? Where are the gaps? But DREAM is so good at looking first at children’s strengths.

We’re also very flexible and adaptable. If a child can’t do something, we are going to gradually work toward goals and believe they can get there. We’re willing to shift—there is no one way at DREAM. We have a responsive curriculum that allows us to teach rigorous grade-level content while also meeting the needs of individual kids. The fact that we have two teachers in a classroom allows us to do that—by design, we are set up to be a responsive environment. As teachers look at their lessons for the week, one of the things they’re doing is thinking about who needs support, who needs something explained in a different way, who needs a resource, who will need 1-1 support. Our teachers are always thinking about their students as individuals.

At DREAM we also believe that an accelerated approach and diverse environments are good for everybody. When you have kids explaining their thinking in sophisticated ways, that’s good for everyone. When kids are thinking about something in different ways than you were thinking before, that’s also good for everybody. Learning is not linear, and flexible thinking is one of the greatest assets to have as an adult.

DREAM: As DREAM continues to grow, what does the future of its special education work look like?
EC: I would like us to grow into a place that can meet the needs of kids with really diverse and profound needs. I have tons of examples of the dramatic impact that DREAM has had on a child’s life—I’m thinking of all the kids I know who started at DREAM, were diagnosed with a disability, and their teachers were able to figure out exactly what they needed and meet that need. And many of those students are in college or heading off to college and are incredibly successful.

We have stories of success to prove our model works, but I can also think of the kids whose needs we couldn’t meet, and the next stage for DREAM is for us to find a way. My goal for DREAM is we one day have the resources and expertise for a fourth grader like Vivian to thrive. And I think if anyone is poised to do that it’s us, given the mindsets, beliefs, and commitment of the people who work here.

The post DREAM Spotlight: Co-CEO Eve Colavito appeared first on DREAM.

While a true testament to the class of 2023’s talent and dedication, these postsecondary accolades are also a result of the strategy and work executed by DREAM’s Office of College Access and Postsecondary Success (OCAPSS), led by Director of College Briana Avery. After joining DREAM in August 2020, shortly before the start of the college application process for DCHS’s first-ever graduating class, she has developed the OCAPSS team into a supportive group of counselors and mentors advocating for DREAM’s students as they pursue the next part of their academic journeys.

Find out more about Briana—who is also the 2023 recipient of the New York State Association for College Admissions Counseling’s Inclusion, Access, and Success Award—in the Q&A below.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

DREAM: Can you tell me a little about your background and how you got into college access work?
Briana Avery: I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. That’s something I always proudly share because my community is what made me, and I think that’s something that really ties in with the DREAM mission. I wouldn’t be who I am if I was not raised in Flint.

I went to public schools in Flint my entire life, and it was a student who was a year older than me—who received the Millenium Gates Scholarship and ended up going to Yale—who told me I should apply for the scholarship. And then it was my best friend Alice and her family who guided me through the college process. I really just did what Alice did. Her mom was a teacher, her dad was a lawyer, and they had a better sense of what they were doing. I was top of my class, involved in many activities, but there were no systems or structures in my high school to ensure I was successful. I applied to a robust college list because Alice did. I applied for the scholarship because another student told me to.

I ended up getting into NYU, and with the Gates Scholarship I was able to fully fund my college experience. But as I was going through college and seeing my peers back home who were more talented than me but not able to experience the same things, I realized I was a product of luck, and that isn’t fair to Black and brown students. It isn’t fair in communities of color.

I decided I wanted to learn about why there were no systems supporting kids of color in communities like my own, and that’s what I focused my undergrad education on. I then had the opportunity to join the College Advising Corps after graduating. Knowing how impactful college counseling could have been in my community, I wanted to learn as much as I could by becoming a college advisor, and that was how I started my career.

DREAM: DREAM has had a great deal of success with its college access work, considering DREAM Charter High School was founded just a short time ago. What do you attribute that success to?
BA: The things we do are tested college access strategies. What makes us exceptional are the people that we have. I think that also comes from having very clear and high expectations for our students and understanding how urgent this work is.

The reason this work is important to me is because it’s racial justice work—it is making sure students of color have access to opportunities that they have long been intentionally blocked from, and our team has that same level of urgency and mission alignment in our work. We are all able to consistently ground ourselves in the urgency of the work, the importance of it, and even in moments where we are giving feedback to each other, it’s because of how urgent and important the mission is. We are in the business of young people and their lives and their futures, and we know what our students are able to do impacts their communities, and their families, and sets them up for generational success.

DREAM: College access doesn’t always mean college persistence. How does the goal of persistence play a role in DREAM’s college access strategy?
BA: The goal is to get young people to and through their postsecondary pathway. For students going to college, we talk a lot about fit and match, and the importance of our young people going to schools that are comfortable, academically rigorous, supportive, and that also give them a financial aid package that doesn’t cause them financial hardships. Those are all factors that help them persist.

We also do a lot of community building with colleges. We are really selective with the schools we support our students applying to. We want schools that have a track record of supporting and graduating students of color. We rely heavily on New York State opportunity programs to provide extra support, because we know our students are going to have questions, and they don’t always have someone in their close family circle who has gone to college and knows how to navigate those spaces.

We are also intentional in the way in which we transition students to our Legends programming. In order to graduate, each student has to have a 30-minute meeting with their college counselor and their college success coordinator on the Legends Team in order for them to get to know each other, talk about their strengths, their fears, their hopes, their dreams. We know that relationships matter so much in this process, especially when you’re an 18-year-old experiencing something new for the first time. You need people who you know are in your corner.

DREAM: Why are college access and persistence so important to fulfilling DREAM’s overall mission?
BA: Persistence is important because outcomes for students who go to college and don’t graduate are only marginally different than when they graduated high school. We want students to live choice-filled lives, which includes having benefits, having career advancement opportunities. Those are things that come from completing whatever your postsecondary pathway is. It’s also important that our young people are critically conscious and engaged back in their communities, and they really aren’t able to engage to the full extent until they’ve made it all the way through that pathway.

DREAM: You’re also a part of many organizations, like the College Access Consortium of New York and the New York State Association for College Admission Counseling. How does that engagement with the wider college access community enhance your work at DREAM?
BA: It only increases the resources, opportunities, and information that students have. Ultimately the goal of any college access programming should be for every student to have access to information and opportunities to make the decision that’s best for them. And that’s what we always come back to—making sure that young people have information and the support to act on it. Everything we do falls into one of those two buckets. The more connected we are in the outside world, the more we have to share back with our students. Especially considering the Affirmative Action ruling on race-conscious admissions, having those connections is going to be even more important.

DREAM: How have recent rulings on Affirmative Action changed DREAM’s college access strategy, if at all?
BA: I think there’s a lot of concern around the Affirmative Action decision, but I’m not sure I’d argue that admissions to top-tier institutions were equitable in the first place. The level of hoops our young people have to jump through to compete against legacy and other special admissions has always been steep, so we have really intentional strategies. There have always been additional hurdles for students of color in the admissions process, and sometimes that’s lost in the conversation.

In terms of shifts in our strategy—we acknowledge that this won’t impact admissions to CUNY schools or SUNY schools. Where there will be impact will be to the top 25% of our students applying to highly selective institutions. Schools that are historically white, those are the schools that are going to almost be working to demonstrate that they’re not giving preferential treatment to black applicants. So it’s scary. How do we protect our students—who are amazing, who have earned everything given to them, who deserve the world—when their admissions to these institutions can be complete game-changers in their trajectory?

We had this conversation with our counseling team, and we’re going to continue to do the things we know we do well. We’re going to continue to build community with these institutions, invite them into our space to meet our students, advocate with them for our young people, and continue to put ourselves in professional circles where we can continue to build those relationships. We’re going to get our kids on campus, too. Those are the things we’ve always done, and those are the things we’re going to lean into more, because we know that in states where Affirmative Action has been considered illegal for years, that is what has made the difference. Is it going to be a little harder? Yes. Am I confident in our team and our strategy? 100%.

DREAM: How is DREAM’s college access work different from other networks?
BA: A lot of that is in who DREAM is. We’re rooted so much in community and family. There’s a different energy and expectation that we have of our office and college counselors. I say all the time that we have the best college counselors anywhere, because that’s what our students deserve, and that means as a team we hold each other accountable for doing the best and serving our young people thoroughly. Everyone is all-in, and we believe in the importance of what’s at stake. These are young people and young people’s families, and this is a community that many of us live in or have worked in for years. The work is just really urgent, and the work is very personal.

In terms of skills, our counselors are involved in college access communities both locally and nationally, which allows them to engage in different kinds of professional development, and understand different skills and topics, and meet people who do things differently. It’s easy to feel very siloed or isolated in college counseling—generally, there’s a single college counselor in a school, maybe two if you’re lucky. So if you don’t have a network, you really feel alone. Our engagement in outside communities helps our team stay on top of what’s new, what’s coming, and what people are doing in their schools. And there’s an expectation that we share best practices with other communities. It helps level the playing field for students and counselors who don’t have access to the same network or resources that we do.

We also have systems and structures at DREAM that make it really easy for us to identify when a student is falling behind, and have a number of different people who can support in that moment. We’re lucky to have an in-house success program. At public schools across the country, that’s not normal, and having the Legends Team here, meeting with students, talking to seniors about what the transition to college will look like—those are things that reinforce our college access programming.

The post DREAM Spotlight: Director of College Briana Avery appeared first on DREAM.

Over three decades, more than 4,300 volunteers have given tens of thousands of hours in support of DREAM’s mission. And they continue to play an integral role in our work today—from coaching our littlest scholars on the field to providing college and career opportunities to our high schoolers and alumni, DREAM’s volunteers make an impact on the lives of so many of our scholars.

This Volunteer Appreciation Month, read below for a small sampling of the events DREAM volunteers have joined us for this school year.

College and Career Days
This spring, more than 100 volunteers are coming together at all of DREAM’s schools for our College & Career Days, an annual event that exposes DREAM students to a wide range of college and career pathways. Since the beginning of April, DREAM has hosted the most diverse group of volunteers to ever join us for College & Career Days, including professionals from organizations such as Delta, the NHL, Sotheby’s, and Morgan Stanley. These events will continue into May.

Legends Career Conference
In January, DREAM’s annual Legends Career Conference was held at Yankee Stadium, the perfect setting for DREAM Legends and select DREAM Charter High School students to network with one another, connect with professionals from partner organizations, and have their headshots taken. Representatives from actively hiring companies like Bank of America, St. Nick’s Alliance, Mount Sinai, and Blockboard manned informational tables for DREAM alumni and students, while a record number of volunteers joined us to serve as professional networkers and mentors during the event, connecting with our students and alumni while also helping them sharpen their professional skills.

Holiday Food Distribution
Just before the end of 2022, DREAM volunteers came together for our annual holiday food distributions, held in both East Harlem and Mott Haven. Volunteers organized, packed, and helped distribute holiday meal fixings—including turkeys, sides, desserts, and fresh produce donated by S. Katzman Produce—to 300 DREAM families. Our food distribution volunteers were also crucial during the height of the pandemic, when these events were held weekly to help combat the food insecurity brought on by the pandemic.

Interested in joining DREAM’s team of volunteers? Visit our website to find out more and connect with us today.

The post A DREAM Built by Volunteers appeared first on DREAM.

The DREAM Ambassadors, a 33-member board led by co-chairs Vilas Kuchinad and Emily Stecher, work together to help the organization truly dream big. They elevate DREAM’s fundraising potential, amplify the organization’s DEI vision, and ensure that DREAM’s scholars, families, and communities have the tools and opportunities to realize their dreams.

On March 15, this included hosting The Bronx Dreams Big, a fundraiser highlighting the new DREAM Charter School at 20 Bruckner. Nearly 150 guests gathered in the Arts Wing and Hall of Dreams to celebrate the recent opening of DREAM’s newest campus, while enjoying drinks and fare from local community vendors, including Bronx Brewery, Chocobar Cortes, and Empanology. The event raised more than $140,000 for DREAM’s schools and programs.

“The DREAM Ambassadors have had some big wins lately, thanks to the dedication and generosity of our members and their organizations.”

Vilas Kuchinad, DREAM Ambassadors Co-Chair

The impact of the DREAM Ambassadors is felt across the organization, as board members utilize their professional ties to create transformative experiences for DREAM scholars.

In February, DREAM Ambassador Anthony Pardo worked with representatives from his organization, Major League Baseball, to host a read-aloud for students at DREAM East Harlem Elementary School, opening their eyes to Jackie Robinson’s trailblazing baseball career and providing a book for each child to build out their home libraries. DREAM Ambassador Michael Hollander recently coordinated with his company, Uber, to host a career day at DREAM Charter High School, expanding students’ knowledge of the wide variety of college and career pathways available to them. And, DREAM Ambassador Nazar Massouh’s company OIC, which served as lead sponsor of The Bronx Dreams Big, will provide an internship in the investment sector to a DREAM Legend (alum) this fall.

“The DREAM Ambassadors have had some big wins lately, thanks to the dedication and generosity of our members and their organizations,” said Kuchinad at The Bronx Dreams Big. “These are just a few of the things we have to celebrate tonight.”

You can find the full list of DREAM Ambassadors on the DREAM website. If you are interested in joining the DREAM Ambassadors, or if you want to learn more about getting your company involved with DREAM’s work, contact advancement@wearedream.org.

The post DREAM Ambassadors Dream Big appeared first on DREAM.

Granted the opportunity to remain at school on a probationary basis, Ja’Keel credits two things with helping to change his path: his love of baseball, which led to Division I and professional playing opportunities, and connecting with teachers that shared similar experiences and backgrounds.

“I was a student who did not value the education system, because I felt it did not value me,” he says. “It took being led as an adolescent by professors and mentors that shared the same racial background as me to change my relationship with education.”

Ja’Keel went on to play baseball at both Jackson State and Savannah State, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He earned his master’s from Relay Graduate School of Education and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in literacy at Hofstra. At Mott Haven, Ja’Keel not only serves as a school dean, but also works within several programs, including the school’s partnership with Breakthrough, which provides a financially supportive and academically rigorous pathway for middle school students who plan to attend independent high schools in the city; Saturday Academy, DREAM Mott Haven’s program that focuses on improving student performance in both math and ELA; and the school’s athletics programs, including flag football, basketball, and of course, baseball.

“The love that was poured into me pushed me to pour into other students who share similar experiences,” says Ja’Keel, who is also in his second year as part of DREAM’s Principal in Residence Program. “This obligation to those that need it has manifested into a seven-year love of being a teacher and administrator.”

You can hear more from Ja’Keel by watching News12’s recent segment on his story.

The post DREAM Spotlight: Ja’Keel Daniels appeared first on DREAM.

As a teenager, Jasmine found solace playing baseball, which eventually led her to Harlem RBI, now DREAM. She soon realized the program was more than just sports—it was also mentorship, tutoring, stability. It was home. DREAM took Jasmine on her college visits, helped her complete her applications, and paired her with a fellow DREAM Legend as a college roommate. When financial struggles arose, DREAM found the funding and partnerships available to help Jasmine finish school. And at a DREAM networking event, Jasmine found a mentor who would open the door to her future career at PwC.

Jasmine’s persistence and perseverance on her own road to success are inspiring, but today, she also works to pay forward all of the support she received from DREAM and our partners. As a campus recruiter at PwC, she focused on HBCUs and Hispanic Serving Institutions, ensuring that those from diverse backgrounds like her’s found a seat at the table. And when she starts her new role on the business side of the company in January, she’ll be conducting interviews and hiring, providing support to candidates at every step of the process.

To hear Jasmine’s story, it is no surprise that longtime DREAM partner Robin Hood chose to recognize her as one of their 2022 Heroes honorees. At a breakfast awards ceremony at Cipriani 42nd Street earlier this month, Jasmine shared her journey with DREAM, her gratitude for all who have supported her, and the impact that can be made when every child feels at home.

You can hear more from Jasmine by watching her full speech below. You can also read more about the Robin Hood Foundation’s Heroes initiative here.

The post 2022 Robin Hood Hero: Jasmine Mille appeared first on DREAM.

East 100th Street was where Jasmine grew up. Right across from an empty lot. That lot was empty even before she was born. It was lifeless – a place where people threw away the things they didn’t want anymore. For good reason, it was off-limits for kids to play on.

But the day that DREAM – then Harlem RBI – came to Jasmine’s neighborhood, all that changed. DREAM didn’t just transform her block’s vacant lot; it transformed three generations of her family.

Jasmine was one of the first girls to play softball on what became the Field of Dreams. Ten years later, her younger sister came up through the program too. And when the City tried to take the field away in 1997, Jasmine’s grandfather was one of the community leaders who fought for it. He knew how important it was to his granddaughters and to all the kids in their neighborhood. Not just for a place to play baseball and softball, but for all it had grown into – support with academics and getting into college, a place where there were adults who cared, a chance to be a part of a team.

Today, DREAM has evolved into a network of charter schools across East Harlem and the Bronx. DREAM is able to serve kids in ways Jasmine could only imagine back then – including her own son, Syncere, who now attends DREAM Charter School.

“There will be no barrier to Syncere’s success. He will have access to every opportunity. The world is wide open to him and his life will be extraordinary.”

– Jasmine Colon, DREAM Legend and DREAM Charter School parent

When Syncere was little, Jasmine spent hours every week taking him to different appointments – speech therapists, occupational therapists, and more. Syncere has a range of learning needs, which means he needs different kinds of support. DREAM Charter School changed everything for Jasmine and Syncere, because they could get all the services they needed in one place – teachers, paraprofessionals, deans, and counselors.

Five years ago, Jasmine gave a speech where she spelled out her dreams for Syncere: “My son will have internships and go to SAT Prep classes. He will visit college campuses all over the country. He will be able to navigate financial aid and won’t get derailed when the application process is overwhelming, like I did. My son will go to college. And he will go to the RIGHT college for him. And my son Syncere will GRADUATE from college. There will be no barrier to his success. He will have access to every opportunity. The world is wide open to him and his life will be extraordinary.”

As a DREAM Charter School parent, Jasmine found that DREAM was still in for all kids, as it was when she was a young girl looking for a safe space to follow her dreams. Jasmine found a safe haven on the ballfield with her team, just as her own son, a generation later, found not just a school, but a home.

This Giving Tuesday, you can be part of Jasmine and Syncere’s story—and so many like them—by donating to DREAM. Click the button below to learn how.

The post Giving Day 2022: A Generation of DREAM appeared first on DREAM.