I Have A Dream – Overtown, Inc.

Program Overview

The mission statement of the “I Have a Dream” program is to help children from low-income areas become productive citizens by providing a long-term program of mentoring, tutoring, and enrichment, with an assured opportunity for higher education by providing full tuition to a public university or trade school upon high school graduation. I Have A Dream – Overtown, Inc. is a non-profit entity, which has been established to work with students in the Overtown community in Miami. Overtown is an historic African-American community in Miami-Dade County.

The initial program of I Have a Dream – Overtown was the adoption of the first grade (54 students) at Phillis Wheatley Elementary School in February 2004. This school is located in the inner-city of Miami, Florida in an area referred to as Overtown. The school was named for the famous African-American poet, Phillis Wheatley. The school actually began operating in 1934, but did not have a permanent site until the completion of the present building in 1952. The student population is approximately 75% African-American, 20% Hispanic, and 5% Multi-cultural and White-Non-Hispanic. The student population is approximately 450 students of which 100% qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. In the past three years the student mobility rate has been 42% with an average of 94% student daily attendance. This is a Title 1 school. Its FCAT grades and its school performance grade for the past three years have been “D” as well as not making “adequate yearly progress” However, renovations at the school are almost complete (after three years), the principal is upbeat and cooperative, and the first-grade teachers are thrilled that their students have been selected. as “Dreamers”.

The “I Have a Dream” program will consist of tutoring, mentoring, summer school programs, and enrichment programs. Each student will have psychological and educational evaluations. Appropriate enhancements will be sought to help each individual student succeed in school.

A project coordinator will be hired to staff the program. This person will be responsible for working, with the students, teachers and school system administrators as well as social and human services providers in the community. He/she will also be working with the families of the students.

A VISTA Volunteer will serve as the assistant to the project coordinator. He/she will work to recruit and coordinate volunteer tutors and mentors. The VISTA will also work with the families by identifying appropriate resources to meet needs of the families in order to stabilize the student’s home environment.

An advisory committee of educators, community residents, and other prominent Miami-Dade County citizens serves the project. The sponsors of the program are Mark & Margie Buchbinder (former VISTA volunteers) and Stephanie & Jules Trump.

Contact Person:

Eric Lewis, Project Coordinator

ericsdream@edfundcft.com

305-573-2638 ext. 138