About Us

What Is The

Dream Academy?

The Dream Academy is an academic and professional enrichment program that provides students in grades 4 – 12 an opportunity to identify, cultivate, develop, and realize their dreams in an encouraging and supportive environment. Monitoring and support of students continues throughout their college experience via professional development and workplace readiness.

Based on the best practices across city, state, and national enrichment programs, a customized curriculum is imperative to address the needs of today’s youth to equip students with life and business skills necessary to compete and prosper in a global economy.

The Dream Academy prepares students for successful competition in the global marketplace through strategic programs and life experiences that focus on five major pillars of success:

Personal, Social, and Cultural Awareness
Academic and Professional Exploration and Development
Healthy Living
Financial Prudence
Community Service Engagement

Students participate in an interactive and shared learning environment that encourages self-discovery, leadership, career exploration, and academic excellence. The Dream Academy is a community initiative and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability.

Demographic Profile of Dreamers

Students represent 5 states including North Carolina. Within North Carolina, students represent 3 counties: Wake County (Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Holly Springs, and Raleigh), Durham County (Durham), and Chatham County (Pittsboro) across 16 different zip codes. There are approximately 60 students registered at the 1528 Davis Drive site, 50 students registered at the Wake County Public Elementary School site (when meeting in person), and 8 students who are strictly online.

Diversity And Inclusion Statement

The Dream Academy’s mission statement and five pillars are focused on creating an encouraging and supportive environment for our Dreamers. In order to create this environment, we embrace the diversity in our Dreamers and create an environment of inclusion where we respect each other’s differences, ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives.

Diversity and inclusion transcend across our organization. The ability to achieve better results for our Dreamers by engaging all of its members from diverse backgrounds is our standard operating procedure. Our goal is to create opportunities that reach across generations, ethnicities, and genders to further our mission and fulfil our pillars of success.

By encouraging diversity and inclusion, Dreamers can learn to respect others, appreciate and understand diversity, and value differences as positive keys to the legal, social and economic stability of society.

History

Rev. Dr. Classy M. Preston

Senior Pastor

Pleasant Grove Church

Cary, NC

Dreams evolve as we see ourselves in others and believe we are capable of success. Dreams become a reality when they are encouraged by those who have paved the way. The Dream Academy was founded based on the expression of Dr. Classy Preston’s belief that all children should have the opportunity to dream and to have a partner in that dream as a vibrant part of his/her life. As the old African proverb states, “it takes a village to raise a child.”

The Dream Academy is an academic and professional enrichment program that provides students in grades 4 – 12 the opportunity to identify, cultivate, develop, and realize their dreams in an encouraging and supportive environment. Launched in May 2012 with a focus on self-purpose and self-refection, the Academy underwent a major organizational transition in 2016, placing the focus on program design and the needs of students as they prepare to compete academically as well as professionally in the global marketplace.

From Dreams To Reality

Pillars of Success

#1

Academic and Professional Exploration and Development

Develop awareness and motivation to actively pursue academic excellence in traditional and non-traditional educational methods.

#2

Personal, Social, and Cultural Awareness.

Develop awareness and expression of self and others, including focus on internal and external motivations and developing a strong sense of social responsibility.

#3

Healthy Living

Develop understanding and build competencies of healthy habits, healthy eating, andphysical/mental health management.

#4

Financial Prudence

Develop understanding and build competency of financial literacy, purchase and investment decision making, and personal finance

#5

Community Service

Develop awareness and motivation to identify and contribute to issues facing local, state, national and global communities. Actively participate in local community service projects.

Leadership Team

Dr. LaChelle Wilborn

Executive Director

Rev. Dr. Classy Preston

Visionary

Charles Phillips

Valda Chauncey

Tracie Johnson

Board Members

Academic and Professional Exploration and Development

Develop awareness and motivation to actively pursue academic excellence in traditional and non-traditional educational methods.

02 | Personal, Social, and Cultural Awareness |

Develop awareness and expression of self and others, including focus on internal and external motivations and developing a strong sense of social responsibility.

03 | Health and Financial Well Being |

Develop understanding and build competencies of healthy habits, healthy eating, personal finance, and physical/mental health management.

04 | Community Service |

Develop awareness and motivation to identify and contribute to issues facing local, state, national and global communities. Actively participate in local community service projects.