The Dream Academy is a distinguished academic and professional enrichment initiative designed for students in grades 4 through 12. Our program aims to provide a nurturing and supportive environment where students can identify, cultivate, and actualize their aspirations. Notably, our commitment to the students extends beyond secondary education, as we offer ongoing monitoring and professional development resources throughout their collegiate experience, ensuring a seamless transition to workplace readiness.
Drawing from an array of best practices identified at municipal, state, and national levels, we have developed a customized curriculum tailored to meet the unique challenges and opportunities facing today’s youth. This targeted educational approach equips our students with the essential life and business skills needed to thrive in an increasingly competitive global economy.
The Dream Academy’s programming is strategically designed around Five Core Pillars of Success to offer a comprehensive educational experience:
Personal, Social, and Cultural Awareness: Cultivating emotional intelligence and social skills while promoting cultural diversity and inclusion.
Academic and Professional Exploration and Development: Enabling students to discover and pursue their academic interests and career goals through hands-on experiences and expert guidance.
Healthy Living: Fostering wellness through practical lessons in nutrition, stress management, and relationship-building.
Financial Prudence: Imparting essential personal finance concepts to instill fiscal responsibility and financial literacy.
Community Service Engagement: Offering a platform for students to identify community issues and develop actionable plans, thereby nurturing a sense of social responsibility.
Students engage in a dynamic, interactive learning ecosystem that prioritizes self-discovery, leadership development, career exploration, and academic excellence. Our methods incorporate a variety of teaching styles and experiential activities to accommodate diverse learning preferences.
The Dream Academy is an inclusive community initiative that welcomes students of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability.
By aligning with our program, students gain access to a multifaceted educational experience that prepares them for future success, both personally and professionally.
The Dream Academy boasts a diverse student body representing five states, including North Carolina. Within North Carolina, our student demographic is dispersed across three pivotal counties: Wake County, which includes cities such as Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Holly Springs, and Raleigh; Durham County, encompassing the city of Durham; and Chatham County, featuring the town of Pittsboro. These students collectively hail from an array of 16 different zip codes, further emphasizing the program’s broad reach.
In terms of enrollment across our various locations, approximately 60 students are registered at our 1528 Davis Drive facility. Additionally, the Wake County Public Elementary School site accommodates around 50 students during in-person sessions. We also cater to the needs of remote learners with 8 students currently enrolled in our strictly online program. This multi-faceted approach ensures The Dream Academy remains accessible to a wide range of students.
The Dream Academy is steadfast in its commitment to fostering an environment that is both encouraging and supportive for our students, whom we affectionately call our “Dreamers.” To accomplish this, we actively celebrate the rich diversity among our Dreamers and cultivate an inclusive atmosphere in which each individual’s unique differences, ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives are respected and valued.
Diversity and inclusion are not mere buzzwords for us; they are integral components of our standard operating procedure and are woven into the very fabric of our organization. We recognize that engaging individuals from diverse backgrounds enhances our ability to achieve superior outcomes for our Dreamers. Consequently, our initiatives aim to transcend generational, ethnic, and gender barriers, thereby aligning closely with our mission and the realization of our five pillars of success.
Promoting diversity and inclusion equips our Dreamers with invaluable life skills. It instills in them a deep respect for others, an appreciation for the multifaceted nature of diversity, and an understanding of the importance of valuing differences. These skills are essential for fostering legal, social, and economic stability within broader society.
Dream Academy
The inception of The Dream Academy is rooted in Dr. Classy Preston’s core belief that every child deserves an opportunity not just to dream, but to find companionship and mentorship in the pursuit of those dreams. As eloquently captured by an age-old African proverb, “it takes a village to raise a child,” the academy embraces the ethos that community support is instrumental in nurturing individual aspirations.
The Dream Academy commenced its journey as an academic and professional enrichment initiative for students in grades 4-12 in May 2012, originally concentrating on fostering self-purpose and self-reflection. The institution underwent a significant organizational shift in 2016, refocusing its strategic lens on tailored program design to better prepare students for the demands of the global academic and professional landscape. This evolutionary step was pivotal in shaping the curriculum and experiences to be more aligned with the multifaceted needs of our students as they aim to be competitive in a global setting.
Financial Prudence
Personal, Social, and Cultural Awareness
Academic and Professional Exploration and Development
Healthy Living
Community Service
The Dream Academy is a comprehensive educational program serving students in grades 4 through 12. We provide a multifaceted curriculum aimed at enhancing academic, life, and career skills facilitated by professionals from diverse fields. Supported by the Pleasant Grove Foundation, we empower students to identify their interests, set goals, and build the confidence to achieve them.
