Dream Chasing is Shalom Zone, Inc. initiative.
Shalom Zone, Inc. (SZI) is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, faith-based organization which developed as an outreach ministry of Solomon Community Temple (SCT) United Methodist Church (UMC) in 1992. The organization began with a flurry of community focused activities, due in large part to active relationships with several private sector corporate partners (including Miller Brewing Company and Rockwell Automation). Corporate restructurings and transfers of key organizational supporters from both partners slowed the growth of the organization and its private sector momentum was nearly lost. While the organization continued to operate, progress was slowed for much of the early life of the non-profit organization.
In 1999 two Solomon Community Temple United Methodist Church (SCT/UMC) members began an outreach ministry targeting area teens called the Dream College Tour, which was primarily funded by student led fundraisers and Prism Technical Management – owned by the two members. Noting the synergy with the SZI mission and the natural advantages of running such programs through an established non-profit agency, the Dream College tour was brought under the Shalom Zone umbrella.
In 2004 the former church based college tour program expanded its mission to include more diverse career choices, developed a series of positive mental attitude seminars for youth; while increasing the number of youth in the program to 40 boys and girls evenly split and regardless of faith, throughout Metropolitan Milwaukee. In turn the program was rebranded as “Dream Chasing” (DC).
DC operates out of the Shalom Zone, Inc. office and serves youth from 7-11 grades. Efforts are underway to create a Dream Chasing academy to reach youth as early as 5th grade.Dream Chasing began in 2000 as the Dream College Tour, but has morphed into a much more dynamic, youth focused motivational experience.
Students may enter the DC program in grades 7-11, (approximately 13-17 years old), spending up to 18 months (over a biennial period) learning as much about themselves as they do about careers and college. Teens meet working professionals and college students pursuing and living their dreams. Students may participate for two full biennial periods (4 years).
With the help of the US Department of Labor, OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook) data students are able to research the training and education needed; earnings potential; expected job prospects; what workers do on the job and gain an understanding of the working conditions for various careers. Guest speakers, with backgrounds similar to the youth, come from diverse fields, (i.e., the legal profession, construction, engineering, medicine, law enforcement, accounting, land development, information technology, architecture, and entrepreneurship) -- based upon expressed student interests and learned through Holland Code surveys. Students participate in a variety of exercises specifically designed to strengthen, rekindle or build their dreams.
Other fundamental ingredients taught in Dream ChasingTM are the realization that any dream worth pursuing will require:
Students learn about college selectivity and develop their own selection criterion based upon their academic achievement, geographic temperament and career interests. Students visit local (within 100 miles of Milwaukee) colleges in odd numbered years. Each fall, following these tours, the students armed with valuable insight on the selection/selectivity process make national college presentations to their peers, in an effort to win their votes. At stake is nothing less than a “Dream College tour” designed for students and by students. As an example of this democracy at work, during even summers students from area schools (most have been from Milwaukee Public schools) students visit colleges they’ve selected and have earned the right to visit. Past Colleges Visited (2000-2008) Case Western Reserve Marquette St Louis University Columbia MIT Southern Methodist University DePaul Morehouse Spelman Duke MSOE Stetson Emory Miami of Ohio Tennessee State (TSU) FAMU (Florida A&M) NC A&T Tuskegee Institute Fisk Notre Dame University of Illinois – Chi Southern Northwestern University of North Chapel Hill Georgia Tech Ouachita Baptist University of WI – GB Hampton Princeton University of WI – MKE Harvard Purdue University of WI - White Water Howard Rice University of WI- Yale The Dream Tour is considered “work” although most students don’t see it that way. The cross country tour has ranges from 2,800 – 4,200 miles. Time spent on the “Mobile Classroom” is put to good use. Mobile Training Classroom The timing of our travel, aboard the audio/video equipped motor coach provides an ideal training environment for youth. Since 2000 (with only audio) Dream Chasing used the 60 hours of travel, spanning10 days (70 hours over 11 days for 2008) to train and motivate youth when they were most susceptible – taking advantage of the heightened state of euphoria surrounding their accomplishment of earning their own way. Dream Chasing has found that this time is ideal for teaching students about: 1. Setting attainable goals 2. The importance of work 3. Faith, Belief in self and Personal value 4. Positive Expectations and 5. Time management. Dream Chasing uses the time to further mold students into motivated, goal seeking and achieving students, primed for explosive growth upon re-entry into high school in the fall. Approximately one third of the time, aboard the mobile classroom is devoted to training and education; another third is devoted to main stream movies with positive “over coming” themes; while the remaining third is “free” for students to spend listening to music, reading, talking or sleeping. Recreation Not all time spent on the Dream Tour is devoted to work. DC students learn to work hard, and then take time to enjoy themselves in style. Universal Studios and More Dream Chasing students take from 1-2 days to enjoy the world around them. Students have visited: 16th Street Baptist Church Harvard Square Portofino Bay Hotel Ali Center Islands of Adventure Universal Soul Circus Cherry Creek Mall King Center Civil Rights Museum Universal Studios Cincinnati Mills NASA – Johnson Space Center Westin Galleria Hotel Dolphin Feeding Boat Cruise New Orleans Tour Westin Galleria Mall Hard Rock hotel Niagara Falls
DC students are required to earn approximately 50% of the cost of travel over the eighteen month period, making the trip even more special, as students “earn” the right to make decisions about their travel. The remainder of the cost is supported by corporate donations, community support and grants from charitable foundations.
As youth age and become more observant, they have their life styles confirmed through life “as seen on television,” in the media and in their own neighborhoods. Poor or affluent, we see ourselves in the images around us. Parents know full well, that even youth growing up in the same household are impacted differently by their exposure to the others they meet or as they are portrayed in the media. Even with close family or familiar examples to refute the media’s “reality,” far too many impoverished and minority youth succumb to the idea that the only road to the “good life” is through entertainment, illicit activities, or worst, they surmise that it’s simply not possible. Scholars studying the achievement of low income urban youth and underperforming youth, will attest that the educational gap between these youth and those from most affluent families doesn’t significantly widen until middle school. Dream ChasingTM (DC) concurs with these findings, and is providing empirical evidence that it is caused by (1) influential and damaging peer relationships; (2) a lack of personal and parental exposure; (3) self esteem, and likeminded, motivated peers during the critical years of age 13-18 years of age. Students may enter the DC program in grades 7-11, (approximately 13-17 years old), spending up to 18 months (over a biennial period) learning as much about themselves as they do about careers and college. Teens meet working professionals and college students pursuing and living their dreams. Students may participate for two full biennial periods (4 years).
The results of the program have been spectacular. Student grades and SAT/ACT scores continue to rise and DC students are attending great colleges scattered across America with the highest local concentrations at UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, Marquette, UW- Whitewater, and the Milwaukee School of Engineering. Our students have or are attending many of America’s best colleges and universities. Student Images (L to Right) Autherine Ikanih – 1999 photo (8th grade) Milwaukee Public School student/Rufus King, attends UW (Madison)– 2009 graduation, will soon pursue a Medical Degree. Jasmine Moody – 1999 photo (8th grade) Wauwatosa East, attended the Milwaukee Police Academy. Robert Smallins – 2002 Photo (11th grade) Whitefish Bay, attends FAMU – 2009 graduation, will soon pursue a Medial Degree. James Bell – 2004 Photo (11th grade) Believers in Christ, MPS Choice, attends Marquette – 2009 graduation. Will pursue a degree in teaching. At present 60% of our students attending Milwaukee Public Schools.