Check out the AMAZING video that Helen Wells Agency did for DREAM Alive for our DREAM Christmas Celebration!
DREAM Alive
EQUIPING youth to ACHIEVE their DREAMS.
A DREAM Christmas
DREAM Christmas features a new design this year that will bring together a unique community of local businesses, schools, students and area families who are transitioning out of homelessness and challenging circumstances. DREAM Alive’s “Scholars,” students from grades 7-12 at Shortridge Magnet High School for Law and Public Policy and H.L. Harshman Magnet Middle School will be the official hosts of this special event to welcome 27 families to the community. Each family will receive special Christmas gifts for their children to unwrap and will be guests of honor at this warm and fun evening. The DREAM Alive Scholars, assisted by employees of local businesses, will do the shopping and wrap all the gifts.
“It is a foundational value of DREAM Alive to forge new communities, to bring together individuals and groups that otherwise might never interact,” said Glenn, DREAM Alive president. “Our DREAM Christmas has always been a special event. This year, we’re going much further to bring together a diverse group for a wonderful evening to celebrate the best character Indianapolis has to offer, to demonstrate that a new definition of community is really possible. It will be a blessing to all who participate, I guarantee that!”
The event is supported by a host of Indianapolis businesses led by title sponsor Circle Financial Planning, Inc. In addition to financial support, assistance in shopping and wrapping gifts, and volunteering at the event, employees of these companies will join in the meal and fellowship in this unique community gathering. Other sponsors include Chase Bank, the Indianapolis Colts, Inc., DEEM Mechanical and Electrical, the Indianapolis Colts Offensive Line, Keystone Growth Strategies, American Structurepoint, Republic Services, Inc., Bastian Solutions, Helen Wells Agency, Butler University Department of Education, David Reilich Design, Little Events Catering, Indiana State Teachers Association, St. Vincent’s Sports Performance, Simply Fundraising, Inc., John H. Boner Community Center and the MIBOR Realtor Foundation.
ABOUT THE DREAM Alive – DREAM Alive provides afterschool programs for 7th-12th grade youth that focus on community service, leadership development and academic success. Now in its tenth year DREAM Alive continues to have an impact in the lives of its Scholars, their schools and the broader community. The program currently operates within two Indianapolis community schools, Shortridge Magnet High School for Law and Public Policy and H.L. Harshman Magnet Middle School. Under Tarik Glenn’s leadership, DREAM Alive is positioning to expand its reach to more schools in the near future. For more information, please contact Lisa Burns at (317) 402-7441 or at www.dreamaliveinc.org.
DREAM Alive Tailgate Party
- written by Kris T, 8th Grade
On Sunday me and some other Dream Alive scholars got the opportunity to go to a tailgate party and the colt’s game. When we got to the parking lot we all walked to the place where the tailgate party was. When we got to the tailgate party we saw Kurt’s beautiful office and met new people. The people we met were people that makes Dream Alive successful and helped them.
After we ate until we were full we went to the Lucas Oil Stadium to watch the football game. Before we went to the game it was very packed,busy and chaotic but it was worth it. At the game there was a lot of people everywhere and a lot of talking. I had a really great time and thought it was a great opportunity.
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- “Birds Eye View”
Scholar Quotes
What does it mean to DREAM?
“I believe that dream means you set goals in your future life so you can have something to strive for when you are a young adult. It also means that you put all your effort towards meeting the goal you want to achieve in your adult life. Sometimes it means to go to sleep, but in this case it is more about planning things that you want to achieve and do something with when you grow up or in the near future.” - Nik, 8th Grade
“When someone asks me, I would say to dream means to vision the path you want to take, the future you have created for yourself through your hard-work or slacking off. It all depends on you. You make your own future with the actions you carry out in your daily life.” - AW, 11th Grade
Team Challenges: Camptown
DREAM Alive scholars from Shortridge and Harshman came together last Thursday at Harshman Middle School to host Brandon and Eric from Camptown. The scholars completed a series of team challenges that let them work together to complete various goals. In one challenge, each scholar had to get through a revolving jump rope without the rope touching them; if any scholar was touched by the rope, everyone had to start over. In another challenge, the youth had to work together to use a map to find objects hidden around the school grounds. Activities like these allow D.R.E.A.M. Alive scholars to demonstrate their leadership styles and, with the help of Camptown leaders, learn better ways to communicate effectively. These group challenges each promoted cooperation and thinking critically. Besides that, they were fun ways to bring all of our scholars together for fellowship and fun! Thanks so much to Camptown, our scholars had an awesome time! Check out our gallery of pictures below!
- Cassidy Britton, Community Resources
What Does it Mean to Dream?
Having been faced recently with a host of events that caused me to rethink my dreams, I felt compelled to ‘write myself out of it’ and perhaps inspire others whom may feel as if there is no sense in trying.
As we grow, our dreams reflect our place in life. A child wants a paper route so that she can afford a puppy. A boy cuts grass so that he can buy his first new bike. A teen gets a restaurant job to buy their first car; a young adult has to work 3rd shift and has 5 classes to earn their degree. What these very different dreams have in common is a means to an end. We learn from an early age that to dream means to have an idea, have a plan, and put that plan into action.
We also learn at a young age that sometimes someone may come in with a more efficient way to deliver papers or people are beginning to cut their own grass. When those curve-balls threaten our flow, does this mean that our dreams cease? Does this mean that we find something else to aspire towards? Does this mean we completely abandon what is important to us?
Short answer: No. What it means is we must learn to adapt and find different, more innovative ways to achieve our goals. We must learn from our mistakes and take lessons from other’s lives. We must not forget that the destination is only part of the journey. We must remember that our testimony of our travels will mean more than any prize we may receive in the end.
That is the key difference between dreaming as a child, and as more mature creature: realizing that the means has far more substance than the ends, and that there is a possibility that there may never be an end—or the end we imagined will be modified. That is when we must accept that life is one continuous, bumpy, malfunctioning ride that sometimes causes us to pause, look at our surroundings, and use that information to leap forward. When it gets difficult, when it gets trying, and when it seems impossible, that is when you know your triumph will really matter.
The only difference between dreaming and reality is opening your eyes.
Peace
~Robin
Congratulations!
Congratulations to the Arsenal Tech Marching Band for winning the IPS Class A Marching Band Tournament last night at Lucas Oil Stadium. A few of our Harshman DREAM Alive Scholars are proud participants in the Arsenal Tech Marching Band. Great Job Scholars!
Props also go out to our scholars at Shortridge Magnet High School, as they competed admirably as well last night.
I.P.S. Marching Band Tournament Tonight
Come support our scholars tonight! Click HERE to find out more.
Scholar Reflection
Throughout the year, we will have some of our achieving scholars post their “Scholar Reflections” following their day’s experience in DREAM Alive. Reflections help us learn about our experiences, our strengths, our weaknesses, set goals, and where we have opportunities for growth.
“Becoming a Team Player”
Written by NJ – 7th Grade
How I will become a better team player is conducting my team better. However, I believe in my opinion that I did good in conducting my team and being a team player today. The biggest challenge we had was to flip the carpet. We had to use teamwork and try to flip the carpet over to the other side and it was fun but difficult because we wasn’t focusing like we was supposed to and most of the time my team was yelling at each other, that wasn’t great teamwork on how being a team player. The easiest thing that we did was the picking up the paper one because the last person had to pick up the paper without touching the ground I think we did good on that but we could’ve did better by slowing down, and concentrating on our movements. What I think a team player is, is never giving up on your team or whatever you do, and never say No or that u can’t do it because everybody can but they just don’t choose to.
Retired Colt Launches Effort to Expand His Youth Foundation
As seen on The Indianapolis Business Journal by Anthony Schoettle on October 12, 2011
Retired Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman Tarik Glenn is the new president of D.R.E.A.M. Alive Inc., a not-for-profit organization that mentors middle- and high-school youth.
Founded in 2001 by Glenn and his wife, Maya, D.R.E.A.M. Alive seeks to develop students into community leaders through after-school programs emphasizing five principles: Discipline, Responsibility, Education, Achievement and Motivation. The organization encourages youth to pursue their dreams while learning firsthand the value of community service.
In years past, Glenn has held a position on D.R.E.A.M. Alive’s executive board while his wife served as board president. Recently, Glenn said, he has been compelled to assume a more active role within the organization. As IBJ reported in July, the organization’s costs have outpaced revenue each of the last four years.
“I am so excited to have a chance to contribute to the Indianapolis community by helping build strong leaders among a key segment of our youth,” Glenn said.
“Indianapolis gave me a chance to play with a winning team and passionately supported us through those years. Through D.R.E.A.M. Alive, I now have a chance to give back to our community by working to see the lives of some very special people transformed. We have great programs and are building another winning team, so we feel very blessed to have this opportunity.”
D.R.E.A.M. Alive provides afterschool programs that focus on community service, leadership development and academic success for children in grades seven through 12. Now in its 10th year, the program operates within two Indianapolis community schools; Shortridge Magnet High School and Harshman Magnet Middle School.
Glenn said he hopes to position D.R.E.A.M. Alive to expand its reach to more schools in the near future.
