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College
Dreams |
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"The
Harder I Work, The Luckier I Get" |
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College
Dreams is a high school graduation incentive program for
bright middle school and high school students who have
multiple risk factors for school dropout, teen pregnancy,
substance abuse and other negative outcomes. Dreamers
earn college scholarship awards and the opportunity to attend
recreational, cultural, and educational activities with College
Dreams staff by achieving good grades, participating in
healthy youth activities, and volunteering for community service.
The program began in 1997 with 33 sixth grade students at two
middle schools. The program is now serving 350 at-risk students
in grades 7-12 at all nine public secondary schools in Josephine
County. In May 2001, College Dreams was presented with a competitive
National Prevention Network "Promising Practices"
Award in Washington, DC to recognize its success in
promoting excellent academic achievement and developing student
leadership skills.
Program staff is comprised of three Bachelors level Prevention
Specialists (we call them Dream Makers)< that spend 1-2 days
per week at each of their designated schools mentoring their
students and being a constant responsible adult in their lives.
A core component of the program is the "barrier removal
fund" which covers the cost of student participation on
school activities, camps, sporting events, uniforms, clothes,
calculators, or any other items that the team determine as necessary
for student success.In essence, we re attempting to level the
playing field for these bright, less fortunate students. It
is important to note that nothing is just given to a student;
they must earn everything the receive from the program.
At the end of the school year, each student that achieves a
grade point average of 2.70 or better, has participated in healthy
youth development activities, and performed community service
receives a certificate documenting that $100 - $300 (based on
budget limits), has been deposited into their scholarship account.
Upon high school graduation the funds will be available to pay
for college related expenses. In addition, during the month
of May, the Prevention staff distribute scholarship packets
to all students who may choose to complete them and apply for
additional special scholarship funds. These special scholarships
are not only a learning experience to help prepare them for
college, but an opportunity to demonstrate that they have gone
above and beyond required participation. If successful, each
student has an additional $125 - $250 (based on budget limits),
deposited into their scholarship account, and a check of equal
value is handed to them at our Annual Celebration in August
of each year. It is our goal to eventually have all scholarship
dollars donated through corporate, private, and individual donors,
community service organizations and partnerships, and grant
awards. This outside funding will decrease the scholarship burden
on the annual budget limitations, which will loosen the restrictions
on the "barrier removal funds". The availability of
these funds for school necessities has proved to be invaluable
to student success.
The oldest class of Dreamers graduated from high school in June
2005. For those students who have worked hard and stayed on
track for high school graduation and college, they have begun
to realize the benefits of the program motto " The Harder
I Work, The Luckier I Get."
Tom & Judie Drummond
Co-Directors
College Dreams
A Program of the Grants Pass Family YMCA
PO Box 5439
Grants Pass, OR 97527
(541) 476-8146
jdrummond@collegedreams.org
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