dreamprogram.org The DREAM Program @DREAMprogram
The Village Mentoring Organization
Birchwood DREAM Quarterly Report September – November 2013 Greetings from DREAM! The Birchwood DREAM program has finished up another wonderful semester of activities. Though youth are sad to see their mentors leaving for winter break, they look forward to their return in January. Here is a summary of all the Birchwood DREAM happenings from the last quarter.
Highlights from the quarter include: • • •
Birchwood mentors introduced two new youth and four new mentors to their program! Birchwood’s new Program Partner, Will Carlson, an AmeriCorps VISTA member in the Champlain Center for Service and Civic Engagement is a great addition to the program! Birchwood mentors and mentees organized their annual “Stick It to Security”. Mentees sold pieces of duct tape in the campus cafeteria, which Champlain students used to stick one of their favorite members of security to the wall. With this fundraiser, Birchwood mentees raised over $100!
Fridays: • • • • • • • • • • •
Birchwood mentors and mentees kicked off the semester with one-on-one hangouts on Champlain’s campus. Mentees ate dinner with new mentor recruits at Champlain’s cafeteria. The Birchwood group visited Shelburne Orchards, where youth picked Fuji and McIntosh apples to take home to their families. Current mentors invited new recruits into the Birchwood community, where they tie-dyed DREAM t-shirts with youth. Birchwood mentors and mentees played Humans vs. Zombies on Champlain’s campus. Co-chairs introduced new mentors and mentees to the program. They had a pumpkin-painting party to celebrate. Birchwood DREAM played touch football at Champlain, where the new mentees taught their Program Empowerment Director how to throw a ball. Birchwood DREAM played Rock Band, a video game. Many mentees are very talented musicians! Birchwood mentees watched the movie Bully, ate snacks, and talked with their mentors about bullying. Mentees enjoyed a fun Halloween party where they received paper plate awards, fished for doughnuts on a string, and played games with their mentors. Mentors and mentees spent one-on-one time on campus.
Special Events for Children and Mentors: • •
A group of Elm Street mentors and teens hiked a portion of the Long Trail as part of UVM’s Catamountain Classic. This event raises funds for a scholarship for a DREAM teen to attend an Outward Bound Program each year. Thirteen older teens from across Vermont gathered for the second annual Teen Futures Retreat, where they wrote intros for their college essays, had a frank discussion about the pressure of drug use, and discussed their goals for life after high school. Thanks to all of the residents of The Swamp for hosting DREAM, and to Tristram Coffin, U.S. District Attorney, for facilitating
Office: 30 Community Drive, South Burlington, VT | Mail: P.O. Box 361, Winooski, VT 05404 │ (802) 338-8979 | info@dreamprogram.org
conversation around The Opiate Effect. Lastly, DREAM thanks Paul Espina and Katie Purcell for all of their help!
Capacity Building and Fundraising: • •
DREAM was honored to receive a $20,000 capacity-building grant from Ben & Jerry’s. We look forward to continuing this meaningful partnership! On November 18, DREAM launched our Annual Appeal. Keep a look out for your letter and please consider donating. So far the Annual Appeal has raised $1,540 from 16 donors.
Mentor Training and Workshops: •
Mentors across Vermont attended DREAMstock, a fun 24-hour event graciously co-hosted by Bolton Valley Resort and Comcast. Vermont mentors participated in sessions about age-specific programming, building relationships with families, and meeting facilitation. DREAM thanks Paul Espina for his help, as well as National Bank of Middlebury, Five Guys, City Market, and Shelburne Orchard for their financial and in-kind support.
Camp: •
Camp Work Days and Days of Caring occurred in late September and early October. More than 50 volunteers assisted staff in painting the new Camp Store, building wooden bridges, and building cubbies for the lean-tos.
Alumni Involvement: •
DREAM launched its Alumni Appeal on October 29. Mentors participated in phone-a-thons, during which they called alumni, asking them to contribute to the appeal. So far, the Alumni Appeal has raised over $12,000 from 100 donors.
Office: •
•
•
•
In September, staff and AmeriCorps members participated in a two-day staff retreat in Guilford, VT. Discussion topics included giving and receiving feedback, DREAM’s budget, and goal setting for the year. DREAM Executive Director, Michael Loner, and Boston Regional Director, were honored to present at the New England Regional Mentoring Conference in Hartford, CT. Their presentation was titled "Working with Youth in Affordable Housing: Challenges and Opportunities." The DREAM Program is very proud to have been the 2013 recipient of the Miles Jensen Award, which is sponsored by Housing Vermont and recognizes the outstanding contributions of volunteers who work with residents of affordable housing communities in Vermont. Housing Vermont chose to recognize DREAM due to the thousands of hours DREAM mentors spend with youth from affordable housing sites all over Vermont and beyond, stretching the children's ambitions and uncovering opportunities. The DREAM Program recently completed the requirements for graduation from the BBVT Performance Institute. DREAM was selected to participate in the Performance Institute through a rigorous and competitive selection process, and we used our work with the Performance Institute to better define the outcomes we want for youth who participate in DREAM’s Teen Programming.
•
• •
DREAM was excited to welcome Jason Desrosier in September as the new Boston Programs Director! Jason comes to DREAM with an inspiring background as a community-based learning coordinator, an AmeriCorps member, and a youth advocate. DREAM is sad to say goodbye to Mike Ewan, former Program Director, Advanced Support and AmeriCorps member supervisor. Mike recently transitioned into a new position as a special educator, where he will continue his work supporting youth. Finally, DREAM is so excited to announce that Brian Fuller has joined the staff as the first Programs Director in Philadelphia! Currently he is recruiting mentors, raising funds, and working with Mike Foote, Director of Strategy and Growth, to build capacity for Philadelphia’s very first DREAM pairing: Temple University and the Cecil B. Moore Village Apartments.
Thank you for your ongoing support of DREAM. If you would like additional or more detailed information, please contact me by email or by phone. You can always look back at past reports or other programs’ reports by going to: http://dreamprogram.org/mentor-program/vermont/local-program-reports.
DREAM big, Mark Hengstler Program Empowerment Director VYT AmeriCorps VISTA mark@dreamprogram.org 802.338.8979