The DREAM Program, Birchwood, Quarter 1, 2017-2018

Birchwood​ ​DREAM​ ​Quarterly​ ​Report September​ ​-​ ​November,​ ​2017

Greetings​ ​from​ ​DREAM!​ ​As​ ​the​ ​summer​ ​drew​ ​to​ ​an​ ​end​ ​and​ ​the​ ​children​ ​and​ ​college​ ​students​ ​all prepared​ ​for​ ​class,​ ​wonderful​ ​DREAM​ ​activities​ ​began,​ ​starting​ ​in​ ​September​ ​and​ ​stretching​ ​all​ ​the​ ​way​ ​to December.​ ​Champlain​ ​College​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Birchwood​ ​community​ ​were​ ​brimming​ ​with​ ​DREAMiness​ ​and​ ​here is​ ​a​ ​summary​ ​of​ ​happenings​ ​that​ ​occurred​ ​during​ ​the​ ​fall.

Highlights​ ​from​ ​the​ ​quarter​ ​include: ●

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Birchwood​ ​DREAM​ ​tabled​ ​at​ ​Champlain​ ​College’s​ ​Fall​ ​Activities​ ​Fair​ ​to​ ​recruit​ ​new mentors.​ ​Current​ ​mentors​ ​were​ ​joined​ ​by​ ​mentee​ ​Kloe​ ​Adams,​ ​who​ ​pitched​ ​DREAM​ ​to the​ ​college’s​ ​President,​ ​Don​ ​Laackman.

Birchwood​ ​DREAM​ ​welcomed​ ​six​ ​new​ ​mentors;​ ​Alex​ ​McKenna,​ ​Hannah​ ​Keenan,​ ​Laura Falardeau,​ ​Brendan​ ​Dutton,​ ​Amanda​ ​Morrison,​ ​and​ ​Olivia​ ​Cefalu.

Birchwood​ ​co-chairs,​ ​Ashley​ ​Devereaux​ ​and​ ​Olivia​ ​Richer.​ ​volunteered​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Ben​ ​and Jerry’s​ ​Factory​ ​and​ ​raised​ ​$108​ ​for​ ​their​ ​program!

Participants Mentees Total:​ ​17 Weekly​ ​Programming​: ●

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Mentors Total:​ ​14

The​ ​first​ ​DREAM​ ​Friday​ ​of​ ​the​ ​semester​ ​was​ ​spent​ ​in​ ​the​ ​community​ ​center​ ​where current​ ​mentors​ ​and​ ​mentees​ ​created​ ​a​ ​list​ ​of​ ​expectations​ ​and​ ​desired​ ​activities​ ​for​ ​the year.

Birchwood​ ​DREAM​ ​took​ ​a​ ​trip​ ​to​ ​Allenholm​ ​Farm​ ​for​ ​some​ ​apple​ ​picking.​ ​DREAMers also​ ​spent​ ​time​ ​petting​ ​and​ ​feeding​ ​the​ ​farm​ ​animals​ ​on​ ​site!

Returning​ ​mentors​ ​and​ ​mentees​ ​spent​ ​an​ ​afternoon​ ​at​ ​Bombardier​ ​“Bear”​ ​Park​ ​where they​ ​enjoyed​ ​the​ ​playground​ ​and​ ​an​ ​open​ ​field​ ​for​ ​soccer​ ​and​ ​an​ ​impromptu​ ​teen-talk.

Birchwood​ ​DREAM​ ​spent​ ​a​ ​Friday​ ​in​ ​the​ ​community​ ​center​ ​baking​ ​and​ ​frosting​ ​mini cakes​ ​and​ ​playing​ ​Apples​ ​to​ ​Apples!

Mentors​ ​and​ ​mentees​ ​painted​ ​pumpkins​ ​together​ ​and​ ​participated​ ​in​ ​outdoor​ ​activities.

Birchwood​ ​DREAM​ ​supported​ ​mentee​ ​Kat​ ​Adams​ ​at​ ​her​ ​final​ ​soccer​ ​game​ ​of​ ​the season.

Mentees​ ​went​ ​trick-or-treating​ ​around​ ​Juniper​ ​Hall​ ​and​ ​led​ ​the​ ​mentors​ ​in​ ​a​ ​fun​ ​round​ ​of hide-and-seek​ ​to​ ​end​ ​the​ ​Halloween​ ​celebration!

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Birchwood​ ​DREAM​ ​went​ ​bowling​ ​at​ ​Champlain​ ​Lanes!​ ​This​ ​was​ ​the​ ​first​ ​time​ ​all​ ​mentors and​ ​mentees​ ​went​ ​off-site​ ​together​ ​this​ ​semester.

DREAMers​ ​broke​ ​off​ ​into​ ​smaller​ ​groups​ ​and​ ​made​ ​pizza​ ​or​ ​slime​ ​on​ ​Champlain’s campus​ ​and​ ​baked​ ​cookies​ ​in​ ​the​ ​community​ ​center.

Birchwood​ ​teens​ ​dined​ ​at​ ​Buffalo​ ​Wild​ ​Wings​ ​and​ ​made​ ​extra-long​ ​straws​ ​to​ ​share​ ​a milkshake​ ​with.

Special​ ​Events​ ​for​ ​Children​ ​and​ ​Mentors: ● In​ ​October,​ ​DREAM​ ​staff​ ​hosted​ ​our​ ​annual​ ​mentor​ ​conference,​ ​DREAMstock!​ ​We​ ​had over​ ​50​ ​mentors​ ​in​ ​attendance​ ​from​ ​7​ ​different​ ​programs​ ​across​ ​the​ ​state.​ ​The​ ​day consisted​ ​of​ ​multiple​ ​trainings​ ​on​ ​topics​ ​including​ ​behavior​ ​management,​ ​cultural competency,​ ​healthy​ ​sexual​ ​development​ ​in​ ​youth,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​teen​ ​panel.

Capacity​ ​Building​ ​and​ ​Fundraising: ● We’re​ ​currently​ ​in​ ​the​ ​middle​ ​of​ ​our​ ​annual​ ​fundraising​ ​drive,​ ​where​ ​we​ ​raise​ ​close​ ​to​ ​⅓ of​ ​our​ ​annual​ ​operating​ ​budget.

Camp: ● Camp​ ​programming​ ​is​ ​off​ ​at​ ​the​ ​moment,​ ​but​ ​we​ ​are​ ​planning​ ​for​ ​Winter​ ​Adventure Camp​ ​in​ ​February​ ​and​ ​March. ● Camp​ ​construction​ ​on​ ​our​ ​lodge,​ ​bath​ ​house,​ ​and​ ​more​ ​is​ ​currently​ ​underway.

Teen​ ​Accomplishments: ● The​ ​Fall​ ​Vermont​ ​Teen​ ​retreat​ ​took​ ​place​ ​on​ ​Saturday,​ ​November​ ​4​ ​at​ ​Champlain College.​ ​19​ ​teens​ ​from​ ​all​ ​across​ ​the​ ​state,​ ​5​ ​DREAM​ ​staff,​ ​5​ ​DREAM​ ​mentors,​ ​and​ ​6 guest​ ​speakers​ ​attended.​ ​The​ ​range​ ​of​ ​topics​ ​covered​ ​included​ ​career​ ​options​ ​and identity,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​college​ ​club​ ​options​ ​and​ ​challenges​ ​that​ ​teens​ ​face​ ​at​ ​school​ ​and​ ​in their​ ​personal​ ​lives.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​a​ ​very​ ​successful​ ​event!

Alumni: ● The​ ​alumni​ ​council​ ​is​ ​rolling​ ​out​ ​an​ ​alumni​ ​directory​ ​intended​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​alumni​ ​connected and​ ​able​ ​to​ ​support​ ​the​ ​kids​ ​and​ ​organization. ● Alumni​ ​grants​ ​are​ ​also​ ​being​ ​reviewed,​ ​providing​ ​program​ ​sites​ ​with​ ​additional​ ​programrelated​ ​funding.

Office: ●

DREAM​ ​welcomed​ ​14​ ​new​ ​Americorps​ ​members​ ​(six​ ​of​ ​which​ ​are​ ​serving​ ​in​ ​Vermont) and​ ​kicked​ ​off​ ​the​ ​new​ ​service​ ​year​ ​with​ ​a​ ​retreat.​ ​The​ ​retreat​ ​set​ ​vision​ ​for​ ​the​ ​upcoming year​ ​and​ ​included​ ​all​ ​members​ ​and​ ​staff​ ​from​ ​across​ ​our​ ​three​ ​locations​ ​(Boston, Philadelphia,​ ​and​ ​Vermont).

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The​ ​DREAM​ ​Office​ ​hosted​ ​its​ ​first​ ​site​ ​visit​ ​with​ ​our​ ​CNCS​ ​Grant​ ​Officer​ ​Rachel​ ​Turner The​ ​visit​ ​was​ ​very​ ​informative​ ​and​ ​helpful​ ​for​ ​us​ ​and​ ​Rachel​ ​was​ ​pleased​ ​with​ ​our progress​ ​as​ ​a​ ​new​ ​grantee.

DREAM​ ​Vermont​ ​has​ ​a​ ​“new”​ ​office​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Elm​ ​Street​ ​Community​ ​Center​ ​in​ ​Winooski, Vermont.​ ​ ​A​ ​few​ ​of​ ​our​ ​current​ ​staff​ ​members​ ​and​ ​AmeriCorps​ ​members​ ​will​ ​now​ ​call​ ​this their​ ​new​ ​home​ ​office.

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/mentoring/vermont/local-program-reports​.

DREAM​ ​big, Deb​ ​Kosnar Program​ ​Empowerment​ ​Director dkosnar@dreamprogram.org 802.338.8979