dreamprogram.org The DREAM Program @DREAMprogram
The Village Mentoring Organization
The Madison Park Village DREAM Update March 2013 Spring is slowly arriving and the youth look forward to more outdoor activities. March also marks the beginning of the preparations for the summer. So as the academic year mentoring program comes to a close at the end of April, the DREAM office is in full preparation mode for the awesome activities of the summer. DREAM Programming: 03/01: (14 mentees, 15 mentors): This Friday was the start of Northeastern’s Spring Break, so the mentors who were around participated in one- on-one activities. One mentee attended an optional teen sexual education training. 03/08: No official DREAM due to Northeastern’s Spring Break. 03/15: (15 mentees, 29 mentors): The activities for this week included: visiting the Museum of Fine Arts, playing outside, and one-on-one activities for the older youth. 03/22: (18 mentees, 23 mentors): The activities for this week included: having a pancake party, baking, music videos, and one-on-one activities for the older youth. 03/29: (12 mentees, 10 mentors): No official DREAM due to Passover and Easter, but a few mentors met with their mentees for one-on-one activities. Community Collaboration: Mass Housing Combined Meeting: Rachel and Chad attended the Mass Housing combined safety meeting at the Reggie Lewis Center on March 6th. . DREAM Office: Massachusetts Promise Fellowship: We are proud to announce that DREAM will once again be hosting a Massachusetts Promise Fellow this coming school year. Summer Intern Hiring: We began the process of interviewing for our four Summer Community Intern positions. Many qualified candidates have applied and we are excited to put together a great team for the summer. Mass Mentoring Partnership “Mentoring Counts” meeting: On March 25th, Rachel attended a meeting describing the results of MMP’s annual mentoring survey.
41 Dearborn St., Roxbury, MA 02119 | (617) 699-8408 | boston@dreamprogram.org
Staff Retreat: The Vermont DREAM Office staff traveled to Boston for biannual staff retreat on March 6th. It was a great time to brainstorm bigger about bigger projects and introduce the VT staff to DREAM in Boston. Parental Engagement: I spoke with all of the DREAM youths’ parents to give them updates about the activities that DREAM has planned for the semester, making them aware of the post MPF School Attitude surveys, and summer camps with earlier than May 1st registration deadlines. Summer Resource Guide: I have received information about summer resources, summer camps, and drop in programs for youth that are partially funded through Boston Center for Youth and Families, private companies, or other organizations. This information will be provided to parents in a guide that will be handed out at the end of April and beginning of May. If parents want more specific information about programs not listed in the guide, I can follow up with them individually. MPF Retreat: On March 13th through the 15th, I participated in the MPF Retreat at the Attitash Resort. MPF Youth Voice Committee Career Day: I participated in the MPF Youth Voice Committee Career Day on March 23rd, which was hosted at Northeastern University. The day consisted of resume and interviewing skills workshops for youth from all over Massachusetts.
Keep DREAMing! Zahra Ohldin Program Empowerment Director/Mass Promise Fellow/Americorps The DREAM Program 41 Dearborn Street Roxbury, MA 02119 zahra@dreamprogram.org