A Child With A Dream Is A Child With A FutureTM
Our Programs
Programs Making An Impact
Like its distinctive mission, the U.S. Dream Academy's program sets it apart from other afterschool and mentoring organizations.
The program starts with this principle: Beyond school, every young person we serve must spend 11 to 15 hours each week in a stimulating learning environment. One-on-one sessions with carefully matched mentors complement afterschool activities that combine academic fundamentals. The focus builds on three pillars – skill-building, character-building, and dream-building. The overall goal is to nurture the whole child while altering attitudes, enhancing self-esteem, supporting emotional and intellectual growth, and sparking dreams.
From our earliest days, the U.S. Dream Academy has grounded its program in research and tested it in the field. A recently developed theory of change illustrates the relationship between this design and the outcomes we strive to achieve.
Ongoing research and evaluation helps us determine results and continually strengthen the program. Anecdotal evidence tells us that the U.S. Dream Academy also has an important impact on the quality of education and classroom learning, suggesting that our program has the capacity to become a building block for better schools.
In-Person Programs
Join U.S. Dream Academy in providing a safe space for young people in under-invested neighborhoods. Our Learning Centers in seven Dream Cities nationwide offer academic support, mentorship, dream building activities, leadership opportunities, and a chance for young people to explore new options for their future. Help us make a positive impact in communities facing high rates of poverty and crime.
DreamJourney
Join the Virtual Group Mentoring Program and help shape the future of DreamKids! Guided by the DreamJourney Curriculum, our weekly video conference sessions provide a platform for DreamKids and mentors to engage in asset building activities that cultivate Developmental Relationships. Make a difference with just one hour per week, and join us in this rewarding journey.
DreamCommUnity
Teens with an incarcerated parent face unique challenges that can lead to isolation and negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, and anger. DreamCommUnity's mission is to provide a safe and supportive space for these teens to share, learn, and receive tools to guide them through this difficult time. Join our online community to help teens find their voice, build connections, identify emotions, and discover their purpose.
The Pillars of the U.S. Dream Academy Program
The U.S. Dream Academy's academic excellence is built on three thematic pillars: Skill-building, Character-building, and Dream-building.
Skill Building
95% of DreamKids live in poverty in high-crime neighborhoods and attend underperforming or “failing” public schools, as measured by governmental benchmarks. That’s why the skill-building pillar of the U.S. Dream Academy program focuses on strengthening positive in-school behavior and educational fundamentals.
87% of DreamKids had no in-school suspensions.
71% of DreamKids avoided skipping school or being sent to the principal's office.
98% of DreamKids reported that it was important for them to both graduate from high school and attend college.
In the 2015-2016 school year, U.S. Dream Academy’s academic partner, Achieve3000, reported an average gain of 184.4 Lexile points for DreamKids in the 2015-2016 school year—the equivalent of nearly two years of reading growth in one school year.
CHARACTER BUILDING
Children with an incarcerated parent are two and a half times more likely to have mental health and behavioral problems, which are strongly linked to difficulty in school, trouble finding work, and becoming involved in crime.
84% of DreamKids feel that the U.S. Dream Academy staff has high expectations of them.
95% of students feel that mentors help them learn from their mistakes
DreamKids utilize a universal, values-based curriculum to strengthen their decision-making abilities and connect with mentors who can assist in building confidence and interpersonal skills.
dream building
The aspirations of DreamKids have been positively correlated with the number of days they attend the U.S. Dream Academy, and those who attended more frequently reported more hope for their future.
90% of DreamKids noted that the U.S. Dream Academy program activities made them think about their future.
93% of DreamKids could imagine the person they want to be in the future.
87% of DreamKids indicated that they have concrete plans for their future.
In addition to providing an enriching environment for DreamKids, the U.S. Dream Academy program also serves to fill the critical time between 3:00 and 6:00pm in which violent crimes with juvenile victims tend to peak.
Since 1998, the program has served over 11,000 DreamKids across ten cities nationwide.
Have questions? Interested in learning more?
A Child With A Dream Is A Child With A Future
The U.S. Dream Academy is helping our nation’s children reach for their dreams. Through academic, social, and values enrichment, we empower children impacted by parental incarceration to believe in themselves and to succeed.
U.S. Dream Academy is a 501(c)3 registered nonprofit organization.
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