Program
Youth Education
St. Vincent de Paul's youth education programming addresses educational barriers and challenges kids to pursue brighter futures where they learn to dream of all that they can become.
The Society of Literacy and Next Steps
The Dream Center at St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 2011 thanks to a generous donation from Mike Parker in honor of his wife Ana and his family. The Parkers place a high value on education and wanted to give every child the opportunity to dream big and achieve those dreams.
Focused on removing educational barriers and bolstering academic support for students from low-income and disadvantaged families, the Dream Center is our answer to after-school tutoring to keep up with grade-level performance, but also to provide an enriching educational opportunity that creates life-long learners who aspire to rise from humble beginnings.
Beyond offering kids tutoring and homework assistance, the center also provides mentorship, learning resources and exposure to the world through field trips and special visits from community experts. These efforts are aimed at improving academic performance while also growing kids’ curiosity. The Dream Center even has its own Chess Master on staff.
Mike Parker, the CEO and Founder of NextPhase Enterprises, and other major donors continue to fund the Dream Center to prepare kids for long-term educational success and give them support, exposure and the tools they need to succeed.
As older Dream Center students look toward higher education, they are often eligible to apply for St. Vincent de Paul scholarship and mentorship programs for first-generation college students, helping to break the cycle of poverty and give youth a chance at their dream careers.
By the numbers
Services and Resources
SVdP Family Evening Meal Program Manager Cindy Bernardo keeps the at-risk kids we serve constantly in mind as she develops the curriculum and schedules tutors to help with grade-level homework, entertainment, field trips, and classes. She focuses her efforts on homework, literacy and activities that incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).
Cindy and her team consistently ask for feedback from our Dream Center families. Recent survey results from 87 families reveal that 76% of Dream Center parents saw improvements in their child’s academic grades in the last year and attribute it to Dream Center programming.
It is well understood that education plays a large role in helping reduce lifetime poverty levels. While our Family Dining Room prevents the hunger and malnutrition detrimental to a child's educational success, the Dream Center helps with grade-level schoolwork and exposure to new concepts they otherwise might not receive.
Because learning should never take a break, the Dream Center operates year-round to combat Summer Learning Loss. SVdP partners with Southwest Human Development for its annual Summer Reading Program that promotes early childhood literacy and provides free books for students of every age. The result? 21,000 minutes of reading in 8 weeks from Dream Center kids!
The summertime also offers special activities such as Science Thursdays and raffle programs that culminate with a Summer Showcase Project to keep kids engaged and excited about learning.
Every July, St. Vincent de Paul hosts a back-to-school night where Dream Center students receive a free backpack filled with school supplies. This event, based on overwhelming community need, excites and prepares school-aged kids from low-income families or families experiencing homelessness for the school year.
The Dream Center invests in at-risk kids with long-term educational enrichment that nurtures the mind, body and spirit of each child while driving his/her interests and passions. We provide the tools, resources, encouragement, and empowerment to help kids build and sustain bright futures. We do this by fostering opportunities for them to explore topics such as STEAM and getting college-ready, and by exposing them to concepts they otherwise may not have the opportunity to explore.
Dream Center programs and field trips this year:
- Tender Little Hearts miniature therapy horse
- Phoenix Herpetological Society
- The Phoenix Symphony
- Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (field trip)
- iFLY STEM (field trip)
Locations
Learn more about our youth education locations around the Valley
Volunteer Opportunities
At SVdP, 95% of our workforce are volunteers-like YOU. We believe that we can accomplish more when we all do it together. Thank you for sharing your skills, time, and heart with us. Thank you for being part of the family.
