Dream Cities | Salt Lake City, UT

Learning Center Director Kristina Muck kmuckusdreamacademy [dot] org

Feature Story

National Mentoring Month is typically a time to encourage and thank mentors across the country for the work they do.  On Friday, January 15, the Salt Lake City Learning Center staff accomplished that, by giving the mentors and mentees an opportunity to serve  together.

The brisk but bright evening was perfect time for 33 mentors, mentees, parents and siblings to gather together and thank their mentors for taking the time to build into the DreamKids. “For many of our mentors this was the first time meeting their mentees parents” remarks Kristina Muck, the Center Director.  “It was so wonderful seeing the pride in our student’s faces as they introduced parent and mentor”.  The room was full of laughter and enjoyment as everyone mingled and talked leading up to the big moment. At 7:00 pm, right before dinner, the mentees presented each mentor with a personalized card and teddy bear to say thank you for being their mentor.

After socializing and enjoying dinner, when most evenings like this end, the second half of the evening was unveiled.  In the spirit of MLK day, the mentors, mentees and their families collaborated on a service project.  Each and every person worked together to tie 74 scarves.  The scarves, which were donated to homeless shelters including Volunteers of American teen shelter and the Road Home shelter, gave the teams a project that brought them together, as well as served those who are less fortunate. 

For fun, some of the mentor/mentees decide to have a friendly competition to see which team could tile the most scarves.

Reflecting on the night, Mentors Blake and Leslie D. remarked, “It was such a powerful activity. We really enjoyed the opportunity to spend tonight working on a service project with our mentees.”

Our History in Salt Lake City

In Salt Lake City, the US Dream Academy is located at the Dual Immersion Academy, a new charter school, established in 2007 southwest of downtown.  The school currently houses approximately 300 students in grades K-5; it will add grade 6 for the 2009-2010 school year, expanding to full capacity at 350 students. The instructional program features a two-way bilingual education model with the aim of developing bilingual bicultural children. Content is taught in both English and Spanish to all children. Classes are constituted with approximately 50% native Spanish speakers and 50% native English speakers. The Learning Center in Salt Lake City earned the “Center of the Year” honor in 2008.

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