The DREAM Program, Inc. 41 Dearborn St. Roxbury, MA 02119 (617) 699-8408 www.dreamprogram.org
December 13, 2012
The Orchard Gardens DREAM Update November 2012 With the semester winding down and Thanksgiving Break this month, the mentors held three engaging afternoons of activities and added nine new mentors! DREAM Programming: 11/3 (14 mentees, 11 mentors): Matches split into small groups and either went to the Museum of Science, the Aquarium, the Museum of Fine Arts, or stayed on campus. 11/10 (12 mentees, 11 mentors): The group went back to BU for an afternoon at the Fit Rec, BU's gym. Matches were able to go swimming and play basketball. 11/17 (13 mentees, 18 mentors): The younger mentees baked pies and watched a movie and the older youth held a fundraiser for their High Adventure Trip. Program Development: New Mentor Recruitment: After an intensive recruitment and interview process, the group welcomed nine new mentors into the program. With many mentors graduating in the spring, some of the new recruits will shadow senior mentors to ease their mentee’s transition to a new mentor. The mentors are hoping to bring on some new mentees as well in the Spring Semester. Fundraiser: The group held a benefit night at California Pizza Kitchen in the Prudential Center on November 8th. Programming Opportunities: Celtics Game: Through Mass Mentoring and the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, one match was able to attend the Celtics game on the 5th. Middle School Football Game: Three mentors and I attended one of the mentee’s playoff football games at Harvard’s stadium. He was ecstatic to see mentor in the stands cheering him on. High Adventure: Continued Planning: The group continued to fundraise and plan for their trip to NYC. The mentees will be selling candy over the Winter Break to continue the fundraising effort while the mentors are away. Community Collaboration: Dudley/Roxbury Corridor Safety Task Force: Rachel attended the Dudley/Roxbury Corridor Safety Task Force meeting on November 26th.
Orchard Resident Association Annual Gospel Dinner: DREAM staff and guests attend the annual Gospel Dinner put on by the Orchard Gardens Resident Association on November 15th. As always it was a great time celebrating with others in the community and sharing a meal.
DREAM Office: College Affordability Training: I attended a training facilitated by U-Aspire to educate youth-serving organizations about the complexity of college admission and how to better to assist youth through the process. Massachusetts Promise Fellowship (MPF) Pass the Wagon: The DREAM Office staff attended MPF’s Pass the Wagon event at Northeastern on November 30th to support the great work that MPF does around the state.
Keep DREAMing! Chad Butt Program Director