The Blue Wagon

Alumni Newsletter – September 2011

Inside this issue Amuse Bouche & Announcements 2

Camp DREAM’s 8th Summer of Fun! 3

DREAM Wins IBM Grant for $10,000 4

Teen DREAMers Take College Tour 4

DREAM Alumni Make a Splash in Boston 5

2011 Alumni Appeal Starts Next Month! 6

DREAM Doppelgängers 7

Get involved: Dress-down DREAM-Up Fundraiser 8

Around 6:30 in the morning on September 1st, I set foot outside my Boston apartment and took in a familiar scene: U-Hauls lined the streets, sweaty college kids in ratty t-shirts were lugging boxes and furniture up staircases, and junk was piled high along the sidewalk. Moving day. The start of what promises to be another awesome year. College. I was on my way to work that morning, but the scene brought me right back to Dartmouth. Now is the time of year when freshmen arrive on campus and start seeing bright, colorful DREAM shirts… and then wonder, “What is DREAM?” Maybe they ask the t-shirt wearer, or maybe they ask an upperclassman friend, or maybe they don’t ask at all. In September of 2003, I asked the guy sporting the t-shirt what DREAM stood for…. “Mentoring underprivileged kids in Vermont… Founded by students, run by students.” I heard enough to know I was pumped to go to the information session in early October. And the rest is history. Eight years of DREAM later, I know exactly what DREAM stands for. Five years ago, I spoke in front of over 100 Dartmouth DREAM applicants, the vast majority of whom were freshmen (of which Dartmouth has about a 1000 each year). About 10% of the freshman class interested to learn more about a student organization? That’s HUGE. Their enthusiasm and curiosity was invigorating, and it was humbling to see how influential DREAM was (and still is) on campus. And so I ask you to take a minute and think, what was it that brought you into DREAM? Was it a friend? A flyer in the dining hall? A DREAM shirt? An article in the school newspaper? I encourage each of you never to forget the reasons you became a DREAMer. Fall is the perfect time of year to reflect on the energy and passion that drove you to the program and to think about the current generations who are learning for the first time what it means to DREAM. DREAM On, AJ LeGaye Alumni Council President, 2010 – 2012 a.legaye@gmail.com

AMUSE BOUCHE By AJ LeGaye, Alumni Council President

1. Calling all San Francisco Bay Area Alumni! The first annual DREAM Alumni of San Francisco mini-reunion will be held on Saturday, September 24th at 5pm. Please contact bbensch@gmail.com if you’re interested in attending.

2. We will be using Twitter and Facebook this year to provide fundraising updates and event information to Alumni during the Alumni Appeal. You can be sure to stay up to date by following DREAM on Twitter @DREAMprogram and becoming of fan on our Facebook page at Dream Prog.

3. Wondering how to get featured in The Blue Wagon? Simply submit your content or Dopplegangers submissions to constitutionkeeper@gmail.com by the 10th of every month. Likewise, always feel free to send in feedback or general comments so we can keep improving each month.

DREAMers make new friends at Camp after learning a new skill – African drums!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Camp DREAM closed out its eighth summer with another smash-bang-boom of a season! Over the course of eight glorious sessions, kids romped in the woods, splashed and sailed in Metcalf Pond, slept in houses in trees and structures that leaned, learned more about their environment and themselves, and had a grand ol’ time! Highlights of the summer include:

• We welcomed nearly 100 children and teens to camp this summer, 30 of whom attended Camp DREAM for the very first time!

• Ten teens served as paid Counselors-in-Training throughout the summer and aided tremendously in the operations of camp while learning and growing themselves!

• Four DREAM mentors and eight other college students/recent grads gave their summer to make Camp DREAM happen in a BIG way!

• Two of those mentors, Abby Johnson and Daniel “Beaver” Bebernitz, were second year counselors and brought their wealth of Camp DREAM experience as peer leaders to the new staff!

• We welcomed several Guest Rock Stars who showed us constellations with a telescope and welcomed campers (in the form of a DRAGON!) to the top of the mountain!

• We explored different themes throughout the summer, including Space Week, Time Travel Week, Superhero Week, and Science Week!

• We visited the nearby Farm Between during the longer sessions, where kids learned about sustainable farming practices, played with bunnies and chicks, harvested berries, and so much more!

• DREAM’s beloved Blue Bus was successfully converted into a kitchen that was thoroughly loved and utilized as a prep space all summer!

• 10-12 year-old campers embarked on an adventure trip each week, which entailed a challenging hike to the top of a mountain! Several teen campers also participated in an overnight backpacking trip!

• Catherine and Joanne from the VT Women’s Fund, which helped fund our Teen Girls’ session, paid us a visit and interviewed our fabulous young women about how Camp DREAM has impacted their lives.

Special thanks to the summer staff of Camp DREAM 2011, without which these magical, mystical memories would not have been possible: Emilyn, Sam Cam (Champlain Mentor), Sam Car, Shannon, Abby (UVM Mentor ’11), Beaver (Castleton Mentor ’11), Travis, Erika, Christine, Charlotte (Green Mountain Mentor), Erin, and Svetlana!

Camp DREAM’s 8th Summer of Fun!!! By Ashleigh Ellsworth-Keller, Camp DREAM Director

Left: Three 8-9 year-old girls use teamwork to catch a fish! Right: Iron Chefs help prepare lunch on our new Bus Kitchen!

On August 12, a group of five adventurous DREAM teens embarked on an eight-day, multi-state tour of colleges and universities. The tour, slated to visit nine different college campuses in New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, is the first of its kind for DREAM, and the brainchild of AmeriCorps Member and Teen Resource Coordinator Jenna Rae Genest. Over the weekend, the group visited Clinton Community College, SUNY Plattsburgh, and Paul Smith's College. The teens' faces lit up when Keith, our tour guide at Paul Smith’s, handed each of them a complimentary canvas tote containing college information -- and a bottle of local maple syrup. While many youth in DREAM have the opportunity to visit a college campus each week during the school year as part of regular weekly programming, they aren't often given the chance to view the campus through the eyes of a prospective student. In addition to touring colleges, the group also made time for camping and canoeing in the Adirondacks, spending time at Misquamacut Beach, and visiting Six Flags New England.

IBM has awarded DREAM a $10,000 Catalyst Grant to develop an environmental educational program at Camp DREAM. The Catalyst Grants are in recognition of IBM’s 100th anniversary. The grants support IBM employees applying their professional skills to volunteer projects with schools or community organizations, or programs that demonstrate a connection to a local, sustainable issue. DREAM won 1 of just 100 IBM Catalyst Grants of $10,000 worldwide in 2011. DREAM’s award is the only Catalyst Grant won in Vermont. The IBM grant will enable DREAM staff and IBM volunteers to create a new environmental curriculum at Camp DREAM. The goal is the development of a “hands on” educational curriculum to teach the students about the watershed, its associated water cycle, and impacts on the quality of the water system. Designated areas and signage will help educate the students about brooks, marshes, vernal pools and the pond, and key water resources on the property will be sampled and interpreted by the students. To develop the program, DREAM staff and IBM volunteers will create a global positioning system (GPS) map of the property. Volunteers will identify key areas and install interpretive signs. The program will incorporate components of an IBM-designed student activity kit called "Clean Water Difference,” which discusses the importance of watersheds and the environmental, societal, and economic tradeoffs faced when making decisions that affect water quality and quantity. The IBM grant also will help DREAM redesign its web site and create a web page that will provide access to the environmental curriculum and allow students to upload the water quality data they gather as part of the program. About IBM: For more information about IBM’s Centennial, please visit http://www.ibm100.com.

DREAM Wins $10k Grant from IBM for Environmental EDU @ CAMP

By Mike Loner, Executive Director

Teens from Northwoods, Hollow Drive, and Elm Street tour Paul Smith’s College in upstate New York.

Teen DREAMers Take College Tour By Sandy Mervak, Development Director

On Thursday, August 18, 2011, the DREAM Boston Finance Committee made a splash at Splash, Boston’s newest ultra-lounge and burger bar. At their first major event, a “Friend Raiser” Fundraiser, the Boston Finance Committee attracted over 60 guests and raised over $2,000 through personal donations, ticket proceeds, and t-shirt sales. The committee is made up of DREAM alumni, friends, and donors that have pledged to raise money and rally support through personal contributions, solicitations, and similar events, all in support of DREAM in the Greater Boston Area. The evening also provided an opportunity for DREAM to present an upcoming fundraising initiative called “Dress Down, DREAM Up,” which is slated to launch next month in October. For more details, check out the last page of The Blue Wagon, and if you have any questions, please contact me at josh@dreamprogram.org. Additionally, if you would like more information on the Boston Finance Committee or are interested in joining the committee, please contact TheDREAMProgram.Boston@gmail.com. Joshua Warren Resource Development Director

DREAM Alumni Make a Splash in Boston By Josh Warren, Resource Development Director

The 2011 Alumni Appeal is Next Month! WILL YOU HELP US REACH OUR GOAL OF $50,000?

Dates: October 15 - November 15 Dear DREAM Alumni, As your 2011 Alumni Appeal Leader, I want to take the opportunity to welcome you to the most exciting time of the year -- the Annual DREAM Alumni Appeal! If you have logged your contact information with the DREAM Program, please look forward to receiving a phone call or text from your local program's mentors this October. We look forward to hearing about your most incredible memories of DREAM, and to learning how your ideas and support may be transformed into reality. The DREAM Program is forever improving, expanding, innovating and evolving to ensure that children and families throughout New England are positively impacted by their relationships with us as mentors. Our Board of Directors, along with the Central DREAM Office, Alumni Leadership Council, mentors of all universities, and families within every DREAM development, are constantly working together to create a unified structure of ideas that will carry the Program to new heights year after year. Just in the last few years, we saw an expansion to Boston and to new areas in Southern Vermont. CAMP was revamped with a tree house, two lean-tos, a kitchen and a dining pavilion. As there are many more projects and ideas in the works, we need the support from our dedicated Alumni to help us get there. The Annual Alumni Appeal is a yearly fundraising drive that allows Alumni to be heard. DREAM depends on all of our input and support to keep the creative juices flowing, especially this year. Due to the unfortunate loss in public funding from AmeriCorps, we now need your donations more than ever. That’s why for this year’s Appeal, we want you to tell us where you feel DREAM funds would be best allocated. We want your feedback on the program and your ideas for new ways to shine. Most of all, we want your support, no matter how great or small. Whether you have a particular attachment to the High Adventure Program or to Winter Adventure CAMP, giving back will help our programs reach their goals time and time again. At the end of the Alumni Appeal, we will be sharing our fundraising totals with all of you so that you will know how much you have impacted the life of this organization. With your dedication, the energy and creativity we all know and love will continue to thrive! Please tune into Facebook and Twitter for updates on the Alumni Appeal. Information on how to donate will be updated over the next few weeks on the DREAM Program website and will be available at www.dreamprogram.org/support If you have recently moved and would like DREAM to update your contact information, please email alumni@dreamprogram.org. Information on the Alumni Appeal and all Alumni events can be found in The Blue Wagon. If you have any questions about the Alumni Appeal in general, please email me at flarenos@gmail.com. I hope you will join me in making the 2011 Alumni Appeal the most successful it has ever been. We look forward to speaking with you in October! Keep DREAMing, Frieda Arenos Alumni Appeal Leader DREAM Alumni Council University of Vermont, 2008

To celebrate, DREAM is organizing a Wear Your DREAM T-Shirt to work event. Join us, and support our work as we continue to empower youth to recognize their options, make informed decisions and achieve their dreams!

In October, DREAM will organize a T-Shirt sales event in your office. The first week of January, T-Shirts will be delivered. For four consecutive Fridays throughout January, employees will have the opportunity to wear their T-Shirts to work for a $5 donation to the organization!

How it works:

Did you know that January is National Mentoring Month?

Getting your company involved is easy!

For more information and to sign up, Contact: josh@dreamprogram.org

DREAM builds communities of families and college students that empower children from affordable housing communities to recognize their options, make informed decisions, and achieve their dreams. DREAM is a registered 501c.3 non-profit organization.

For more information and to sign up, Contact: josh@dreamprogram.org