Why the American Dream Academy?

Seven of every ten students entering Arizona’s high schools graduate.

Of those seven graduates, only four continue to college.

Of those four in college, only two earn a degree.

Arizona Students Are:

• Increasingly diverse
• One-quarter of Arizona children age 0-5 live in poverty
• One-third of children living in Arizona suburbs come from low-income families
• Twenty-eight percent of Arizona students in public schools do not speak English as their first language
• African American, Hispanic and Native American students test an average 20 to 30 percentage points below white and Asian students
• Fewer than half of Arizona’s graduates are eligible for admission to the state’s universities based on their high school performance
• Many of those admitted to college have to enroll in lower-level courses to make up for academic deficiencies
• Few students take advantage of funded tutoring and transfer options

What is the American Dream Academy?

 The American Dream Academy (ADA) is a nonprofit model integrated into an entrepreneurial unit at Arizona State University (ASU), the Center for Community Development and Civil Rights. The academy plays the innovative role of connecting the parents of marginalized, at-risk students to a major metropolitan research university that is involved in their communities and in close proximity to their homes. Through affiliation with the university, the program helps parent participants visualize and pursue the long-term goal of having their children acquire college degrees.

ADA is a nine-week, school-based program that connects parents, school, ASU, and the community as partners in the educational and personal development of elementary, middle, and high school students.  The academy offers sessions in the morning and evening to accommodate parents’ schedules and we conduct classes in both English and Spanish.  Parents learn how to navigate the school system, use effective communication to collaborate with teachers and administrators, create a positive home learning environment, and support a child’s emotional social development.  They also learn to be effective advocates who act as partners in their children’s educations.

The American Dream of Education

 On average, high school graduates earn almost $10,000 more per year than dropouts and college graduates earn more than twice as much.

 High school graduates save the community by reductions in public health, public assistance, and criminal justice expenses.

 Communities benefit from educated individuals who engage in civic activities as voters, volunteers, and good neighbors.

 ADA has “graduated” almost 15,000 parents from the academy since fall 2006, participating in 4,500 unique workshops at over 200 individual schools.  The parent-graduates, in turn, empowered their 36,000 plus students to achieve academic success.

 Empowering parents can create transformative change.  For these students, education is the key that opens the door to the American Dream, a unifying methods that demands each of our best efforts for the opportunity to reach our highest potential.  While this ideal remains elusive for many citizens, colleges and universities can play a role in extending opportunity to underserved communities.  By providing hope and necessary tools, we can help parents use their individual and collective strengths to provide their children with the focus, guidance, and support to achieve successful academic careers.

 Source:  “Educating Arizona:  Accessing Our Education System (Birth – Grade 12),” Arizona Community Foundation and The Center for Educational Excellence, 2008.

If your school or district could benefit from the ADA program please call Alejandro Perilla at 602.496.1021

Click here to see districts served to date

Nonprofit partnerships

Why the American Dream Academy?

Seven of every ten students entering Arizona’s high schools graduate.

Of those seven graduates, only four continue to college.

Of those four in college, only two earn a degree.

Arizona Students Are:

• Increasingly diverse
• One-quarter of Arizona children age 0-5 live in poverty
• One-third of children living in Arizona suburbs come from low-income families
• Twenty-eight percent of Arizona students in public schools do not speak English as their first language
• African American, Hispanic and Native American students test an average 20 to 30 percentage points below white and Asian students
• Fewer than half of Arizona’s graduates are eligible for admission to the state’s universities based on their high school performance
• Many of those admitted to college have to enroll in lower-level courses to make up for academic deficiencies
• Few students take advantage of funded tutoring and transfer options

What is the American Dream Academy?

 The American Dream Academy (ADA) is a nonprofit model integrated into an entrepreneurial unit at Arizona State University (ASU), the Center for Community Development and Civil Rights. The academy plays the innovative role of connecting the parents of marginalized, at-risk students to a major metropolitan research university that is involved in their communities and in close proximity to their homes. Through affiliation with the university, the program helps parent participants visualize and pursue the long-term goal of having their children acquire college degrees.

ADA is a nine-week, school-based program that connects parents, school, ASU, and the community as partners in the educational and personal development of elementary, middle, and high school students.  The academy offers sessions in the morning and evening to accommodate parents’ schedules and we conduct classes in both English and Spanish.  Parents learn how to navigate the school system, use effective communication to collaborate with teachers and administrators, create a positive home learning environment, and support a child’s emotional social development.  They also learn to be effective advocates who act as partners in their children’s educations.

The American Dream of Education

 On average, high school graduates earn almost $10,000 more per year than dropouts and college graduates earn more than twice as much.

 High school graduates save the community by reductions in public health, public assistance, and criminal justice expenses.

 Communities benefit from educated individuals who engage in civic activities as voters, volunteers, and good neighbors.

 ADA has “graduated” almost 15,000 parents from the academy since fall 2006, participating in 4,500 unique workshops at over 200 individual schools.  The parent-graduates, in turn, empowered their 36,000 plus students to achieve academic success.

 Empowering parents can create transformative change.  For these students, education is the key that opens the door to the American Dream, a unifying methods that demands each of our best efforts for the opportunity to reach our highest potential.  While this ideal remains elusive for many citizens, colleges and universities can play a role in extending opportunity to underserved communities.  By providing hope and necessary tools, we can help parents use their individual and collective strengths to provide their children with the focus, guidance, and support to achieve successful academic careers.

 Source:  “Educating Arizona:  Accessing Our Education System (Birth – Grade 12),” Arizona Community Foundation and The Center for Educational Excellence, 2008.

If your school or district could benefit from the ADA program please call Alejandro Perilla at 602.496.1021

Click here to see districts served to date

Nonprofit partnerships