BALTIMORE — When the U.S. Dream Academywas launched 26 years ago, the goal was to make a difference for inner city kids whose road to success in the classroom has been paved with obstacles. For many of them it could mean they face adverse conditions in the communities they're growing up in.
From poverty, to violence, to struggling public schools, the program was put in place to keep kids from falling into a cycle that would keep them from reaching their full potential.
Baltimore City's Collington Square Elementary Middle School implemented the program to help its kids level the playing field.
"Our students are not starting the race at the same point as other students in the state of Maryland so [we're] recognizing that start point and giving them the proper foundation," Dream Academy center director, Candace McAllister, said,
"For us to describe it in a few words, Dream Academy is love, community and engagement," Collington Square Elementary Middle School Principal, Tiffany Williams, said. "Those are the three words that I would say basically describes what they have been for our school community and the impact they’ve made."
Dream Academy's improvements with attendance, grades and behavior with the students gave the Maryland State Department of Education enough proof to show its support by dedicating $1.2 million to the nonprofit's programs at Collington Square over three years.
The program's formula is made up of three pillars; skill building, dream building and character building.
U.S. Dream Academy CEO, Diane Wallace Booker, believes while all three pillars are important tools to give to the kids, there's one that stands above the rest.
"Dream building is the one that really helps kids open up their hearts and their minds to the future," she said.
While Booker speaks on what she's seen dream building do nationally, McAllister agrees from watching first hand what it's done for the Baltimore students by expanding their horizons.
"Dream building is my favorite because it’s the opportunity that we get to really show students things they’ve never experienced before," McAllister said.
According to school staff, Dream Academy's strategy has helped them to see improvements in student attendance, grades and behavior.
"We hear families say to us 'are you gonna have Dream Academy back? I’m going to have my child enroll just because of Dream Academy’," Williams said.
Over the year, the nonprofit has received support from celebrity partners like former President Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey. On October 10, 2024, Winfrey will be honored with the 'Legacy Award' at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington D.C.
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