The Blue Wagon Alumni Newsletter – May 2013
Inside This Issue Amuse Bouche & Announcements Mentoring Match Spotlight – Mackenzie &Ayan Spring Culminating Highlights – Ziplining! An Update on DREAM in Philadelphia DREAMers Around the World DREAM Dopplegangers
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AMUSE BOUCHE By Adam Goldfarb,, Alumni Council President Hi Fellow DREAMers, Summer's starting, everyone's out of school, people are embarking on seasonal activities, and all's quiet on the DREAMy front… Read on to hear about some exciting opportunities for DREAMers you know who might benefit from a scholarship for their studies, a delightful Culminating trip (I know you love Culminating trips!), and the impressive trajectory of DREAM growth! More importantly, ntly, try to find a hammock somewhere and something to cover your eyes for a bit. Maybe a straw to dangle out of the corner of your mouth. You can take a break from work. You earned it. And when you close your eyes and drift off, don't forget to DREA DREAM! Adam Goldfarb DREAM AC Prez
ANNOUNCEMENTS 1. The Alumni Organization is excited to open our second round of scholarship applications this month. This
scholarship program is designed for a DREAM mentee Alumnus who is actively enrolled as a full-time full student at an accredited college or university. We are hoping help former DREAM mentees who are pursuing a degree in college by providing an award of $1,000 $1,000-2,000, 2,000, based on merit as well as financial need. Multiple awards may be available based on the funds that are av available ailable during a particular year and the volume of applications. The th application deadline is June 30 and grants will be awared for the upcoming 2013 2013-14 14 academic year. More information, including the full application, can be found on the DREAM website at http://dreamprogram.org/about/announcement/scholarship http://dreamprogram.org/about/announcement/scholarship-opportunity-dream-alumni-organization organization-announces-springoffering.
2. Congratulations to DREAM Mentee Alumnus and now Lyndon State College Alumnus Ashley (Seymour) Christie, who graduated from LSC this month with a B.A. in Graphic Design with a focus on Branding & Corporate Identity. Way to go Ashley! 3. Summer is nearly here, and DREAM’s Summer Enrichment Programs in both Boston & Vermont are therefore set to begin in a few weeks on June 24th. The Summer Enrichment Program helps bridge the gap that the summer can leave for a mentee’s school-year DREAM experience. Activities vary ry and rely largely on the surrounding community and the resources available. If you happen to be around town and interested in dropping by, please contact Rachel (rachel@dreamprogram.org)) for Boston P Programs or Sarah (scaliendo@dreamprogram.org)) for the Vermont Programs. 4. As part of the Mass Mentoring Partnership’s sponsorship with the Boston Red Sox, Madison Park mentee Boomba got to throw out the first pitch at a Red Sox game last week week! Kudos to Boomba and his mentor Bryan Doyle. See more photos of the event on the DREAM Facebook Page.
Mentoring Match Spotlight: Mackenzie & Ayan By Britt Wedenoja, Program Empowerment Director Ayan,, age 12, and Mackenzie are a mentoring pair with the Riverside/University of Vermont Local Program. Mackenzie and Ayan exemplify DREAM’s ’s core value of contagious energy. There isn’t a week that goes by without another great story of adventures and mischieff from Ayan and Mackenzie and usually a hilarious picture of Mackenzie to go along with it. When asked to share her favorite memory from DREAM,, Mackenzie talked about one time when she let Ayan paint her face: Once she had painted for a while I asked "How am I coming out?" And she said "Um…good." In a very unconvincing voice and made a face letting me know that she was in fact purposely doing the exact opposite of what she said her plan was. That might have been the time I ended up looking like a "scary clown.” lown.” She has done that sort of thing a couple of times and she thinks that it’s really funny and wants to take pictures every time. Mackenzie and Ayanhave been a mentor pair for three years and Mackenzie says, “I wish that I could have found DREAM my freshman reshman year, then I could have had another year with Ayan.” When asked about her relationship with her mentor, Ayan said, “Mackenzie always lets me give her makeovers, it’s the best part of DREAM DREAM”. During ing one one-on-one time and on weekdays days Mackenzie and Ayan Aya like to bake cupcakes, make crafts, and color. Though Mackenzie is graduating this semester, she is looking forward to spending a few more months of mentoring with Ayan and her family over the summer.
Culminating Highlights – Riverside Ziplining By Britt Wedenoja, Program Empowerment Director The guide looked around at each of us and asked, “who “who’d like to go first?” I made eye contact with a few of the mentors and they all had the same ‘please don’t pick me’ facial expression. After a few seconds of silence, a little hand shot into the air and Skylynn, a 10 10-year-old from the Riverside program, exclaimed, claimed, “I’ll go first!” After a minute of watching the guide strap Skylynn into her harness, she was off, shooting down a 600 600-foot zipline high above Smuggler’s Notch. She didn’t even scream. Last week I had the pleasure of accompanying the Riverside RiversideDREAM Local Program to ArborTrek, a zip-line line adventure at Smugglers Notch Resort. Two DREAM office staff, ten mentors, twelve kids, and one parent all climbed high into the treetops for a two-hour hour tour.
The trip had been in development ever since HallieGremlitz discovered the canopy tour last year when searching for options for a culminating experience. “I knew it would be perfect,” said Hallie, a former Riverside co co-chair, “I think it’s important that we continue to provide DREAM youth with the opportunity to try ry new things. It was also great to see so many mentors push themselves out of their own comfort zones.” The canopy tour was also a wonderful way for DREAM youth to experience the natural beauty of Vermont. Participants flew through groves of Vermont maples, es, birches, beeches, and Hemlock, as well as over mountain streams, all while appreciating breath breath-taking views of Mount Mansfield. ArborTrek Canopy Adventures opened in 2012 after 2 years of construction. Earlier this year, the course was included in Trav Travel + Leisure Magazine’s list of the “World’s Coolest Zip Zip-lines.” What makes ArborTrek unique is the vision of course designer, Mike Smith. He says that what makes a good zip zip-line isn’t just that it’s fast and long, it’s being immersed in nature and having the ability to explore areas that feel untouched. ArborTrek’s full zip zip-line canopy tour includes eight zip-lines, lines, two sky bridges, and two rappels.
Philly DREAM Update By Mike Foote, Director of Strategy & Growth DREAM Philadelphia is gaining momentum! A dream team of 25 invested community members, including DREAM alumni as well as many new faces, have been working hard to raise funding for a DREAM office in the city. Their goal is to have Philadelphia kids in DREAM shirts in the fall. Jordan Knapp, one of DREAM Philadelphia’s core organizers and a Director at eBay, was first introduced toDREAM through alumnus Jon Potter. Jordan describes his interest in DREAM coming from his love of the city c and urge to give back: “My My wife and I have lived in Philadelphia for two and a half years. It didn't take long after moving here for us to feel at home. Philly has had a wonderful impact on the quality of our lives. Via DREAM Philadelphia we have fo found und an opportunity to give back to a city that has had such an impact on us. DREAM brings together the vibrant positive energy of the college campus to the inner city housing community. Youth mentoring gives us the opportunity to shape lower income neighb neighborhoods orhoods from the inside and builds a bridge to the community that is rewarding in both selfish and selfless ways. The city is teeming with young professionals looking to make a difference. DREAM is an excellent opportunity for us to help shape the future of Philadelphia. We look forward to being involved in DREAM for years to come.” Maggie Potter, another leader in the DREAM Philadelphia effort, describes the need for DREAM in her city: “Philadelphia Philadelphia is a fantastic city, with much to offer - great restaurants, some of the country's best public art, and dozens of colleges and universities that create a thriving intellectual and youthful culture. Philly also has high needs - it was recently given the unfortunate distinction of being the highest in the coun country in deep poverty; in other words we have the most people living below half the federal poverty line (link). Luckily for us, DREAM has a lot to offer both the college student population of Philadelphia and the low income housing communities that feature prominently in its landscape.” The Philadelphia team has been making connections and growing grassroots support across the city with various local events such as "friend "friend-raisers,” house parties and races. Please contact Mike at mfoote@dreamprogram.org or 802578-5978 5978 if you have ideas or connections for DREAM Philly!
DREAMers Around the World Wherever you may be, it’s never a bad time to throw on the DREAM tee and take a photo. When you do, you can send those pictures to mewan@dreamprogram.org.
Jesse Foote, DREAM’s first Camp Director, in front of the Picaya Volcano in Honduras. Phil Ortego (Elm St ’09) in the Andes in Peru.
Jessica Stein, former Program Empowerment Diector, at Buckingham Palce in London.
Sandy Mervak (UVM ’09 & DREAM Development Director) takes in the view with his family at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.
DREAM Doppelgangers
Windsor DREAM Culminating, Fall 2010
Ninjas!