West Oakland 1996-2006
Our Story
In 1996, 88 students from the third grade class of Prescott Elementary School were officially adopted by the "I Have A Dream" Foundation - Oakland. We pledged to provide guidance and support to these children from third grade through high school and beyond. We also promised each of them financial assistance in obtaining additional aid for college or vocational school upon their graduation from high school in 2006.
As our Dreamers entered the sixth grade we saw a dramatic improvement in their reading, writing and math abilities. A comparison of standardized tests from the fourth to fifth grade showed that our students had increased their reading, vocabulary, composition, and math scores a combined average of 60%, outstripping their contemporaries in other fifth grade classes. This increase reveals that direct involvement can and does have a powerful impact.
With I Have A Dream-Oakland’s efforts being felt so dramatically in the community our program was awarded a Federal Grant that allowed us to offer our services to more students in the West Oakland Community, expanding to sixth graders at Lowell Middle School, West Oakland Community School, and St. Martin de Porres.
By the time our students were entering high school, we were supporting a total of 250 West Oakland youth. During our students' junior year of high school, IHAD hired a full-time college and career advisor to help guide them through the complex processes of applying for college and securing financial aid. We are very proud to announce that we currently have 90 students enrolled in universities, community colleges and vocational schools throughout the nation. Schools of attendance include: Harvard University, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Morehouse University, UC Riverside, and many, many more! Congratulations Dreamers!.
“Harvard isabsolutely WONDERFUL... Although I miss the Bay Area a lot, I must admit, I am having a lot of fun here. My roommates are great. One is from the East Coast (Philadelphia) and the other is from the Midwest (Wisconsin), so we bring very different experiences to Harvard, but we are getting along very well so far. I just made up my class schedule today. It's kind of exciting for me, because I have three classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and/or Fridays and my Spanish class meets every day for one hour. That frees up a lot of time for me to have my work-study job and to work out. I'm loving this schedule!”
- Jocelyn Eastman, Harvard University
“My college experience has been wonderful. I have made a lot of friends that I hang with. I have been up on my homework and I have been doing great. I have met with my EOP advisors and I’m doing good. I like it up here and I do not have any complaints!!!”
- Eddie Lee, CSU Humboldt
“So far college has been what I expected it to be. I am having a lot of fun meeting new people and learning their so-cal ways. My roommate and I get a long great. In terms of classes, it’s so different. I'm on my own and the teacher never reminds us to read this and write that. I don’t know if I like that yet, but slowly I’m getting used to it. There is so much to do here, going to the gym to workout, bowling, eating, or sitting outside near a pond to do your homework. On the weekends I dedicate my time to exploring the city. So far I've been to the malls and outlets, mission beach, pacific beach, over the bridge that goes over the water into the island called Coronado, the Gaslamp Quarter which is stores for shopping, restaurants and music. I've even been to a concert at night along the marina outdoors! I miss home though. The weather, my family, the way things used to be with my friends and my own 'not squeaky bed'. I like the fact I can do what I want when I want and still be on top of things which basically means school to me. There's a bit of everything here at San Diego state and it’s great and I’m so glad I chose to come here.”
- Gabriella G. Sanchez, CSU San Diego
“Being at CSULB has been a wonderful experience. I have enjoyed all my classes and the people are great. I just finished rush week for an Asian interest sorority called Chi Delta Theta. The campus is great and I'm just loving southern California.”
- Jannie Lam, CSU Long Beach
The “I Have a Dream” program has played an important role in my life. From the very beginning they set out one goal for us which was to go to college. But it was definitely much more than just going to college. They taught me and showed me things I would have never learned or seen on my own. They taught me about the importance of staying in school and going to college. I know that without this advice I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t even think about going to college. The IHAD foundation was not a typical after-school program that helped me with my homework; it was like a second home to me. They also had the best summer programs. I remember the first couple of summers were the most fun summers I had when I was younger. Classes ranged in different subjects, but I personally enjoyed the field trips since I had not been to a lot of places before. One of the experiences that I will never forget was my first trip to Lake Tahoe where I saw and touched snow for the first time. I just want to thank everyone in the program who has helped me or taught me something, But I want to thank them on behalf of my family and myself for helping me to be the first in my family to attend college.
- Linda Men, CSU East Bay
Visit the I Have A Dream - West Oakland web site
In 1996, 88 students from the third grade class of Prescott Elementary School were officially adopted by the "I Have A Dream" Foundation - Oakland. We pledged to provide guidance and support to these children from third grade through high school and beyond. We also promised each of them financial assistance in obtaining additional aid for college or vocational school upon their graduation from high school in 2006.
As our Dreamers entered the sixth grade we saw a dramatic improvement in their reading, writing and math abilities. A comparison of standardized tests from the fourth to fifth grade showed that our students had increased their reading, vocabulary, composition, and math scores a combined average of 60%, outstripping their contemporaries in other fifth grade classes. This increase reveals that direct involvement can and does have a powerful impact.
With I Have A Dream-Oakland’s efforts being felt so dramatically in the community our program was awarded a Federal Grant that allowed us to offer our services to more students in the West Oakland Community, expanding to sixth graders at Lowell Middle School, West Oakland Community School, and St. Martin de Porres.
By the time our students were entering high school, we were supporting a total of 250 West Oakland youth. During our students' junior year of high school, IHAD hired a full-time college and career advisor to help guide them through the complex processes of applying for college and securing financial aid. We are very proud to announce that we currently have 90 students enrolled in universities, community colleges and vocational schools throughout the nation. Schools of attendance include: Harvard University, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Morehouse University, UC Riverside, and many, many more! Congratulations Dreamers!.
“Harvard isabsolutely WONDERFUL... Although I miss the Bay Area a lot, I must admit, I am having a lot of fun here. My roommates are great. One is from the East Coast (Philadelphia) and the other is from the Midwest (Wisconsin), so we bring very different experiences to Harvard, but we are getting along very well so far. I just made up my class schedule today. It's kind of exciting for me, because I have three classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and/or Fridays and my Spanish class meets every day for one hour. That frees up a lot of time for me to have my work-study job and to work out. I'm loving this schedule!”
- Jocelyn Eastman, Harvard University
“My college experience has been wonderful. I have made a lot of friends that I hang with. I have been up on my homework and I have been doing great. I have met with my EOP advisors and I’m doing good. I like it up here and I do not have any complaints!!!”
- Eddie Lee, CSU Humboldt
“So far college has been what I expected it to be. I am having a lot of fun meeting new people and learning their so-cal ways. My roommate and I get a long great. In terms of classes, it’s so different. I'm on my own and the teacher never reminds us to read this and write that. I don’t know if I like that yet, but slowly I’m getting used to it. There is so much to do here, going to the gym to workout, bowling, eating, or sitting outside near a pond to do your homework. On the weekends I dedicate my time to exploring the city. So far I've been to the malls and outlets, mission beach, pacific beach, over the bridge that goes over the water into the island called Coronado, the Gaslamp Quarter which is stores for shopping, restaurants and music. I've even been to a concert at night along the marina outdoors! I miss home though. The weather, my family, the way things used to be with my friends and my own 'not squeaky bed'. I like the fact I can do what I want when I want and still be on top of things which basically means school to me. There's a bit of everything here at San Diego state and it’s great and I’m so glad I chose to come here.”
- Gabriella G. Sanchez, CSU San Diego
“Being at CSULB has been a wonderful experience. I have enjoyed all my classes and the people are great. I just finished rush week for an Asian interest sorority called Chi Delta Theta. The campus is great and I'm just loving southern California.”
- Jannie Lam, CSU Long Beach
The “I Have a Dream” program has played an important role in my life. From the very beginning they set out one goal for us which was to go to college. But it was definitely much more than just going to college. They taught me and showed me things I would have never learned or seen on my own. They taught me about the importance of staying in school and going to college. I know that without this advice I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t even think about going to college. The IHAD foundation was not a typical after-school program that helped me with my homework; it was like a second home to me. They also had the best summer programs. I remember the first couple of summers were the most fun summers I had when I was younger. Classes ranged in different subjects, but I personally enjoyed the field trips since I had not been to a lot of places before. One of the experiences that I will never forget was my first trip to Lake Tahoe where I saw and touched snow for the first time. I just want to thank everyone in the program who has helped me or taught me something, But I want to thank them on behalf of my family and myself for helping me to be the first in my family to attend college.
- Linda Men, CSU East Bay
Visit the I Have A Dream - West Oakland web site