GOLD COAST — A few years ago, Kelli Haywood, founder and executive director of Dream On Education, began working with students at Tanner Elementary School on Chicago’s South Side.
The greater Grand Crossing school at 7350 S. Evans Ave. currently has 375 students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade, nearly 90 percent of whom receive free or reduced lunches, according to the school’s principal Nicole White. After its founding in 2012, Dream On Education came to Tanner Elementary School to offer students mentorship and career, cultural and tutoring programs.
Oftentimes Haywood works hands-on with the students, White added.
“I’m appreciative that she continues to come back here and work with us. I don’t know what we did to deserve it, but I’m so glad we did,” White said with a chuckle. “It’s not a representative. She’s doing a lot of the work herself, and that’s important.”
To expand its service to more schools, Dream On Education is hosting a fundraiser Feb. 9 at The Public Hotel, 1301 N. State St. Four additional schools are interested in Dream On Education’s programs, but more funding is needed before that can happen, Haywood said, adding that it currently serves 10 students.
After students apply, go through interviews and talk it through with their parents, Dream On Education selects groups of 6th to 8th grade students and introduces them to different careers and cultures and provides mentorship and after-school tutoring. To bridge the gap between their current environment and future careers, Dream On Education presents career-oriented activities and takes the children on field trips, like participating in a business plan competition and visiting the Chopping Block to learn how to cook Latin-inspired dishes.
Prior to starting Dream On Education, Haywood, a Kansas City, Mo., native worked for major brands including Adidas, Walgreens, Sprint and the Chicago Bulls. She said Dream On Education's work is about connecting students with possible futures outside of what they may see in their neighborhoods, which are plagued by violence and crime.
“Often we read about or hear about kids in low-income communities who are dropping out of school, engaging in gang violence and things of that nature. But that really is [just] part of the narrative,” Haywood said. “There are students who want to do well, who have every desire to excel, [but] they’re simply lacking the resources. And that’s really what Dream On is all about.”
CPS schools have fallen on hard times due to recent budget cuts, teacher contract negotiations and the looming possibility of strike. Dream On Education provides its programs free of charge for Tanner Elementary. White said Haywood brings connections and resources for the kids that aren’t within the school’s means.
“It helps us to provide the experiences that we cannot afford to provide [and] don’t have the connections to provide,” White said. “In turn, my students experience that, and that’s the kind of partnership that we need all throughout Chicago Public Schools.”
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
