October 2024 Dreamletter

Turning Learning into Action

What happens when 5th to 8th graders turn learning into advocacy and action?

I am very proud of our award-winning Dreambotics Team. They are applying the science and technology knowledge they are acquiring for the benefit of people in our community with a strong awareness that their local actions will also benefit the health of our oceans and marine life. Boulder is a long way from the ocean, but that isn’t stopping them.

Check out this fun, short video message to hear more about what they are doing and how you can help them in their mission!

Please consider supporting their efforts by donating coats of any size in good condition by November 1. (Details below)

Their robotics competition theme this season is “Submerged”–it links robotics technical learning with ocean science.

When our Dreamer Scholars become advocates willing to take action to benefit society and the environment, they are following in the advocacy and action traditions of Dr. King that are so central to the “I Have A Dream” Foundation. They re-energize and inspire us all the time!

Kudos to Community Center Manager Estefania Corral and our team of volunteers for doing such a wonderful job working with these bright and motivated Dreamer Scholars.

We have lots of great news to share in this update–please read on and be encouraged!

Dr. Perla Delgado | CEO/Executive Director

DreamBotics Student-led Coat Drive

Our DreamBotics students are taking action to help the community and the planet! They're organizing a coat drive through November 1st, collecting gently used coats of all sizes to support families in need.

Drop-off Location: 5390 Manhattan Cir, Boulder

Drop-off Hours: 10:00 AM–2:00 PM, Monday to Friday

This student-led initiative also tackles textile pollution—clothes make up 80% of the textiles entering our oceans. Join us in reducing microplastics and making a positive impact!

Together, we can make a difference!

New Altitude Class in Lafayette - Growing & Enrolling

We’re very excited about our new Altitude Dreamer class, class of 2036!

The new 1st-grade class at Ryan Elementary in Lafayette is staffed and growing, with space to enroll more Dreamers this fall. We look forward to drawing from Ryan (the host school), along with nearby elementary schools Coal Creek, Lafayette, Louisville, Pioneer and Sanchez.

For first-graders, literacy and math skills are of the utmost importance so that they form a strong foundation for future academic success. We saw remarkable progress among the first-year Dreamers in Longmont last year and anticipate repeated success.

We’re also excited about the research-backed Wayfinder curriculum we began using last year to promote holistic development and well being. Dreamers scholars participate in games and activities that develop core life skills such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

Service projects and Friday field trips to sites like a pumpkin patch and Bounce Empire round out the fun and relational programming.

The only criteria for participation are: (1) 1st-graders, (2) eligible for free or reduced lunch and (3) available to attend the program at Ryan regularly.

Know a family who may be interested? Share this link or have them contact Program Manager Stephanie Loera at stephanie.loera@ihaveadreamboulder.org.

Altitude Class is looking for volunteers! Click here to learn more and apply.

Want to invest in the futures of these Dreamers? Reach out to Keerigan at keerigan.heg@ihaveadreamboulder.org or reply to this email.

Fall Festival at IHDF Community Center!

Join us on Friday, November 8th, from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM for a day of family fun, food, and entertainment. This free event is open to everyone—a great chance to connect with the entire "I Have A Dream" Foundation community!

Enjoy games, activities for all ages, live entertainment, crafts, workshops, and more. Plus, we'll have food baskets and a vaccine clinic that will be of great benefit for those with Medicaid or no insurance.

Come celebrate with us and strengthen our community connections!

Location:
IHDF Community Center
5390 Manhattan Cir, Boulder, CO 80303

For more information, contact: communitycenter@ihaveadreamboulder.org

Dream-Maker Luncheon a Great Success!

We were thrilled to have so many of you with us for the 25th Annual Dream-Maker Luncheon! Thanks to your generosity, we raised over $328,000 at this year’s event on September 27, along with adding 5 new Dreamer Scholar Sponsors. That generous support makes a huge impact and allows us to continue to do this work.

We celebrate…

109 Luncheon attendees made a first-time connection with us.
66 new couples or individuals donated!
$200,000 was raised/pledged to fund our new Altitude Class in Lafayette.
There was a 37% increase in donations from the prior year.

Thank you for your tremendous support!

Post-Secondary Success

We are dedicated to supporting Dreamer Scholars in their pursuit of their dreams. Exploring post-secondary education options (college, career, specialized training, etc.) is central to what we do throughout our 11+ years of involvement with each student.

We were excited to see Dreamers choose to attend these institutions and have the financial ability to do so. Your generosity in supporting IHDF, the extensive work our Postsecondary Department does to assist with financial aid and the students' hard work in applying for scholarships all have huge impacts.

Not only do they benefit, we know that these great schools benefit by having them as students!

Denver Broncos Foundation Grant

We're excited to share that the Denver Broncos Foundation recently awarded us a $10,000 grant to support The Dreamer Scholars Program to support youth facing income inequality, with a particular focus on long-term enrichment starting from the early grades. Our program addresses academic needs, promotes social justice, and cultivates leadership skills to empower students from elementary through high school.

The Denver Broncos Foundation is committed to making a positive impact on future generations by creating a “game plan” for life through youth health and wellness initiatives, dynamic in and out of school programming, and access to career pathways. We're grateful for this support!