The Greeley Dream Team

Background Statement

The Greeley Dream Team Inc. was created in 1987 by a diverse cross-section of citizens and community leaders to address a recognized need to close achievement gaps and increase graduation rates within the local school system. At the outset, money was raised locally to develop an incentive program (based on the "I have a Dream" model) that would result in a greater degree of school completion by minority, at-risk, or otherwise disadvantaged students. Initially, over the course of five successive years, five cohorts of fifth graders were identified, as being at risk of failing or dropping out of school. This became the "Dream Team Scholars" program whereby these students would receive a $2,000 scholarship award upon high school graduation.

Many lessons were learned over the life of this program. The main lesson was that a far off reward, in itself, was insufficient to foster school success for many low-income, at-risk children and youth. It became clear that intensive support services were needed to guide these students throughout their school experience. Hence, the marriage between the Dream Team Scholars initiative and Educational Talent Search, implemented in 1991, which has evolved into a logical and productive format that has produced many successes in retention, graduation and post-secondary enrollment.

Today our agency serves a diverse population of over 1,800 students through programs sponsored by federal, state and local grants, many of whom are from first generation and limited income families. Assistance through our many partnerships allows us to provide a variety of group and one-on-one services that support student success in school.

Our agency is governed by a Board of Directors, which includes professionals from a variety of disciplines in the Greeley community. Their pro-bono contributions of professional expertise, time and commitment are invaluable assets to the project.