dreamprogram.org The DREAM Program @DREAMprogram
The Village Mentoring Organization
Willowbrook DREAM Monthly Snapshot July 2014 Program Happenings and Highlights Three Willowbrook youth attended sessions at Camp DREAM this summer. There, they participated in four days of adventure and growth. On July 11th, the Willowbrook group held a car wash and lemonade stand as a fundraiser for their summer activities. Overall, the group raised $69! Special thanks goes to Advanced Auto Parts for their support. The group celebrated the end of summer with a trip to Mass MoCA and a talent show in the community. One highlight of the talent show was the original play written and performed by Willowbrook youth. The youth were sad to say goodbye to Summer Community VISTAs, Molly and Kelsey, after such a fun-filled summer, but they are excited for their mentors to return in September. Participants Mentees
Mentors
Total: 25 Females: 12 Males: 13
Total: 16 Females: 12 Males: 4
Weekly Programming with Children
Willowbrook youth spent a day tie-dyeing t-shirts and later, they visited the farmer’s market in small groups. The Willowbrook and Poultney groups joined forces in Bennington for a day of strawberry picking. One group of youth went with Kelsey to learn how chocolate is made at the Chocolatorium, while another group went with Molly to swim at Lake Paran. Molly and Kelsey spent an afternoon leading the group in relay races and teambuilding water balloon games. The group returned to Lake Paran for another afternoon of swimming. Molly and Kelsey took some youth to the Bennington College library. The group spent an afternoon making pizza and playing soccer. The boys ate dinner together and played games at boy’s night. Molly and Kelsey took small groups of youth to play at Willow Park. Many Willowbrook youth tried a brand new kind of food when the group made sushi together. A trip to the bowling alley with Kelsey and Molly was a huge hit for several
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Willowbrook youth. For their summer culminating experience, the group traveled to Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA. The Willowbrook youth greatly enjoyed exploring the different types of art and even got to make some of their own creations in the Kidspace. Kelsey took youth to explore downtown Bennington in small groups. Throughout July, the group explored their own talents as they practiced for an end-ofsummer talent show. Acts included signing, recorder-playing, and paper airplane making. The talent show also featured an original play, which a group of Willowbrook youth spent several weeks writing and rehearsing.
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. DREAM big, Ali Siegel Program Empowerment VISTA alison@dreamprogram.org 802.681.3982