Guest Appearance: Natalie Watson talking about Dream

At St. Mike's there are many programs and clubs to join. I asked Natalie Watson a Sophomore involved in DREAM to explain the program and talk about her experience.


Natalie, what is DREAM and explain a little about it.

DREAM stands for "Directing through Recreation, Education, Adventure, and Mentoring" but it is so much more than that. The DREAM program was started in 1999 by students at Dartmouth College, and it pairs college students with children from affordable housing communities in hopes of creating lasting relationships that positively impact both the mentor and mentee. I've found that DREAM has become addicting. I was paired with my mentee Najima, a nine-year-old Somali refugee, in the Spring of last year and we've grown so close. We do all sorts of things together and with the group. Najima calls me all the time asking me for advice or just calling to talk.
One of my favorite parts of the program is how close I've become with Najima's family. I think they really appreciate college students reaching out to help their kids, and her parents are always so appreciative of the time I spend with Najima. Najima and her friends all live for Fridays, or DREAM days, when they get to see their mentors. That's probably my favorite part about DREAM- pulling up to their neighborhood, Franklin Square, and seeing all of the kids run to the St. Mike's vans screaming "DREAM IS HERE!!" As cliche as this sounds, we, as mentors, are blessed with the ability to take these kids out of their underfunded,overcrowded, and oftentimes hostile living situations and give them hope and the tools to achieve their dreams. Children who are enrolled in DREAM are more likely to graduate from high school than their low income peers, and the first DREAMer recently graduated from college. Knowing that we can have an impact on local kids is the greatest feeling in the world!


At the end of the school year DREAM and the other Mentoring programs such as, Big Brother, Big Sister have a big BBQ on campus and have bounce houses. Fire and Rescue, which is run by students, brings over the ambulance and a fire truck and allowing the kids explore them. It's a great way for mentors and mentee's to have fun together before the summer! I went and took pictures and got to hang out with everyone. Check them out!