DREAM

We are incredibly excited to share our 2024-2028 Strategic Plan: Bending the Arc. This is our blueprint for realizing the long-term potential of the children we serve and the communities where we work. Together, we are bending the arc toward equity for every child, every family, every community. We are building something that doesn’t exist anywhere else. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g82R9s85

On Tuesday, our high schoolers had a busy afternoon with?NBCUniversal and?Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA (Laureus USA)?participating in an?energizing speed networking session and a game of flag football with Jakob Johnson and Markus Kuhn! They gained invaluable insights from our amazing volunteers, exploring everything from career advice to personal passions. The day wrapped up with some students hitting the field to train and play alongside professional NFL athletes, teaming up with our Universal crew for a friendly match. We won’t say who won, but our students left as the real champions—armed with inspiration and knowledge!?

AI grading is transforming the classroom by freeing teachers to focus on what truly matters: nurturing student growth. That’s why we’re excited to share that EnlightenAI chose DREAM as their first case study, and the results are impressive! Learn more about the strides EnlightenAI is making in response scoring here: https://lnkd.in/dMDppB4m, and join us on the cutting edge of educational technology! #EdTech #AI

We’re thrilled to celebrate Ana Rader, DREAM’s Director of Seasonal and Fellowship Recruitment, for being selected to join the second cohort of the Education and Career Mobility Fellowship with UpSkill America and the The Aspen Institute! This opportunity aligns with DREAM’s mission to level the playing field by empowering all children to recognize their potential and realize their dreams. The cohort’s focus on education, career mobility, and employer-sponsored learning also supports a key pillar of our new strategic plan: Invest in People, which emphasizes surrounding youth with consistent, long-term relationships with supportive adults and peers both inside and outside the classroom. Read more about the work Ana is doing here:?https://lnkd.in/guSTuqUQ Ana’s leadership and dedication to fostering career mobility will continue to shape the future of DREAM’s workforce, helping us provide the best opportunities for the youth we serve. Congratulations, Ana!

Check out?BronxNet's story?of DREAM’s new Highbridge campus. This moment is more than a ribbon-cutting—it represents expanded opportunity for over 800 students in the?Bronx?and reinforces our commitment to creating spaces where youth can thrive. We’re proud to continue advancing our mission to level the playing field and support every child to realize their dreams.

What an incredible time we had at the Vecinos Block Party this past Saturday! Our DREAM community came together for a day filled with fun, connection, and celebration. We’re so grateful for everyone who made it out! A huge shoutout to our amazing food and community partners, along with MFM Contracting Corp., WM and?Major League Baseball (MLB), for your incredible support of DREAM!?Thank you for being such vital members of our community!?

With the opening of DREAM’s new Highbridge campus, we’re expanding opportunity. This building makes concrete the strategic priority?to Grow Our Impact. This means creating spaces where students can thrive, families feel supported, and entire communities are lifted up. The opening comes on the heels of more great news: that DREAM students once again achieved their highest-ever ELA and Math proficiency rates on the New York State Exams. This accomplishment is made more remarkable by DREAM's commitment to accepting and nurturing a high percentage of children with special needs and backfilling seats at every grade. DREAM builds on our belief in the potential of every child, no matter their starting point. To learn more about the power of this place, please watch the recap of our opening day celebration for more. Special thanks to Bloomberg Philanthropies, Charter School Growth Fund, Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation, Robin Hood, and Walton Family Foundation for helping to make this DREAM real.

On Tuesday, we cut the ribbon on our newest school building in the Highbridge neighborhood in the South Bronx - celebrating the culmination of years of hard work. The new DREAM Highbridge campus is a shining example of what our students deserve and a place designed to inspire and support their excellence. Our scholars now have access to cutting-edge laboratories, vibrant and beautiful classrooms, and a state-of-the-art gymnasium–essential spaces where they can play, learn, and grow. As Bronx Borough President Hon. Vanessa L. Gibson, MPA (She, Her, Hers, Ella) perfectly stated, 'These are not amenities; these are necessities.'" With two weeks of school already under our belt, we can’t wait to see what the rest of the school year has in store for DREAM Highbridge.

It's?been a great start to the school year for many reasons, but none bigger than DREAM's commitment to summer learning, which?keeps kids engaged, active, and learning over the summer months. No summer slide here! Huge thanks to Michael Bloomberg?and?Bloomberg Philanthropies for recognizing?how critical summer is to our communities and for investing deeply here in NYC and across the country.

A moment for our newest school building - DREAM Highbridge! Monday marked the first day of school EVER in our permanent, beautiful new home at 1162 River Ave in the Bronx. To new and returning students - welcome to your new school, where learning is joyful, friendships are forged, and dreams take flight.