The DREAM Program, Somerville HA, June-August 2013

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The Village Mentoring Organization

The Somerville Housing Authority DREAM Update 4 Quarter Report 2012-2013 Program Year (June-August) th

Summer Community Intern Molly Pratt engaged the Clarendon Hill youth in creative, fun, and challenging activities throughout the summer. Summer SHA DREAM occurred on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from June 26th through August 14th. Somerville Housing Authority Summer DREAM began with after-school activities and the days were extended beginning on July 1st once school had ended for the summer.

Youth Participation:   

29 youth from Clarendon Hill participated in Summer SHA DREAM. 27 participated on multiple occasions.

12 of the youth don’t participate in school-year DREAM. The majority of the youth who participated in the summer are already on the waitlist for the fall. Other youth expressed interest in participating in only the summer events only due to other commitments during the school year.

Summer Activities: There was a blend of activities offered this summer. Some of these activities occurred in Somerville, Cambridge, and Boston.

On-site activities:          

Games and popsicles Movie watching party Ice cream making Summer Arts Projects Kickball Pre-Aquarium Activities: Aquarium themed arts and crafts Friendship bracelet making and lava lamp making Capture the Flag in the park Tie dye and shirt decorating Volcano and goo making

41 Dearborn St., Roxbury, MA 02119 | (617) 699-8408 | boston@dreamprogram.org

Off-site activities and trips:            

Museum of Science New England Aquarium Freedom Trail Boston Harborfest Water Festival in Cambridge Teen Trip: Frozen Yogurt Teen Trip: Davis Square DREAM goes to the movies JP Licks Carson Beach Dilboy Pool Track and Field at Tufts

Bigger events or trips: 

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Georges Island- This summer SHA Summer DREAM had several opportunities to visit Georges Island, learn about the historic Fort Warren, enjoy some beach time and a free boat ride. The tickets were generously donated by Boston’s Best Cruises and Boston Harbor Islands.

End of Summer DREAM Party- During the final week of summer DREAM, an end of summer party was held in Clarendon Hill. The party consisted of pizza and lemonade, tag, races in the playground, and a few family members also attended in support of the event. Following the party, the youth went to the Hatch Shell to listen to the Boston Symphony Orchestra on the Esplanade. It was a great evening filled with wonderful music and final hoorah in celebration of the delightful preceding summer.

Additional Summer Opportunities 

Roseway Sailing Trip- In a new collaborative partnership with The Roseway, Somerville Housing Authority and Putnam Gardens youth participated in an early evening sail out to the outer Boston Harbor Islands. The youth learned about the parts of the boat, marine life, navigation charts, and local Boston history. The favorite activity for most of the youth was the chance to climb up the mast of the boat.

Community Collaboration:  

Somerville Housing Authority Providers Meetings: Zahra Ohldin attended the Somerville Housing Authority Providers Meetings that occurred in July and in August.

Annual Community Picnic: Rachel Lieberman, Zahra Ohldin, and Molly Pratt attended the 23rd annual Community Picnic, which was held in the Mystic Developments. They scooped ice cream donated by Ben and Jerrys to the youth,

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families, and other residents in attendance. The picnic featured face painting, food, entertainment by the youth, local bands, and Books of Hope; there were several community resource tables to provide attendees with resources available to them.

Community Flyer Distribution: Throughout the summer, Clarendon Hill families received flyers about the Boy Scouts, Create Your Own Bike workshops, Farmers Markets in Clarendon Hill, English classes offered by The Welcome Project, and any additional announcements that community partners wanted to share with community residents.

Dental Hygiene activity and cleaning services offered to the community: On July 19th, Stephanie Sousa of the Visiting Dental Associates of MA came and gave a presentation to the Clarendon Hill and Putnam Gardens youth in Somerville about dental hygiene. They practiced brushing their teeth, played games, learned about ‘sugarbugs,’ and some even won dental hygiene kits. She returned to Somerville on Saturday to provide dental cleaning services to families in Clarendon Hill.

Tufts Community Summer Music Camp: Two Clarendon Hill youth, Job and Nicola Pimentel received full scholarships to attend the Tufts Community Summer Music Camp in July and in August.

DREAM Office: 

Registration of new families: Throughout the summer new youth were added into the program. At the end of the summer, those families were asked if they were interested in the waiting list for the school year DREAM program.

Keep DREAMing!

Zahra Ohldin Program Empowerment Director/Mass Promise Fellow/Americorps The DREAM Program 41 Dearborn Street Roxbury, MA 02119 zahra@dreamprogram.org