Communities In Schools Announces New Partnership with FREE TO DREAM to Empower Youth
CONTACT: Whitney Faison, [email protected], 315-420-6049
Communities In Schools® (CIS®), the nation’s leading provider of K-12 school-based integrated student supports (ISS) is proud to announce a new partnership with FREE TO DREAM™ the nonprofit founded by Academy and Grammy Award-winning artist, actor, and activist Common.
Through a $500,000 grant provided by the American Student Assistance® (ASA), a national nonprofit changing the way young people learn about careers and prepare for their futures the partnership, FREE TO DREAM will continue advancing the I AM FREE TO DREAM™ initiative aimed at helping opportunity youth, including those involved in the justice system, understand the transformative power of their dreams and to map those dreams to tangible resources and opportunities in the real world.
Together, CIS and FREE TO DREAM will explore how adaptations of the DREAMKEEPER™ Resource Kit can support the CIS network of affiliates and licensed partners committed to ensuring student success at more than 3,500 schools nationwide serving more than 2 million students.
This partnership will debut with a special activation early in the new year: all registered users of the Resource Kit will receive exclusive access to a co-developed lesson with CIS, offering a simple, powerful practice to activate the dreams of the young people in our care.
We're proud to partner with FREE TO DREAM™ to further our mission of ensuring every student has what they need to thrive. The Resource Kit gives our site coordinators and community partners practical tools to better support students in and beyond the classroom. Together, we're expanding what's possible for young people and strengthening the support systems that help them dream boldly and reach their full potential.
-Rey Saldaña, President and CEO, Communities In Schools National Office
Empowering Dreamkeepers™ to Inspire Change
At the heart of this expanded collaboration is the DREAMKEEPER™ Resource Kit, an innovative toolkit designed to help educators, mentors, and parents—known as Dreamkeepers™—nurture and protect the aspirations of young people. The kit introduces The Five Practices for Transformative Dreaming, a framework that encourages youth to connect with their cultural roots, embrace their fullest potential, and chart their own unique pathways to prosperity.
Inspired by Langston Hughes' poem "The Dream Keeper," Dreamkeepers are trusted adults who guide youth in exploring their potential and turning dreams into actionable goals. The toolkit offers engaging practices and real-world strategies to make this process tangible.
As part of the award-winning I AM FREE TO DREAM™ campaign, this Resource Kit is a major milestone and essential online tool that every Dreamkeeper can use to empower young people to take action towards their future. This toolkit is rooted in practices from our signature DREAM SUMMITS™, along with curriculum developed from esteemed educators and thinkers. We know that dreams have the power to change life outcomes and this Resource Kit ensures that Dreamers and Dreamkeepers have the support to bring those dreams to life.
-Ryan Tarpley, Interim Executive Director, FREE TO DREAM™
About American Student Assistance® (ASA)
American Student Assistance® (ASA) is a national nonprofit at the forefront of changing the way kids learn about careers and prepare for their futures through access to career readiness information and experiences for all. ASA helps middle and high school students to know themselves—their strengths and their interests—and understand their education and career options so that they can make informed decisions. ASA fulfills its mission–in schools and beyond the classroom–by providing free digital experiences, including Futurescape® and EvolveMe®, directly to millions of students, and through advocacy, impact investing, research, thought leadership, and philanthropic support for educators, intermediaries, and others. ASA fosters a generation of confident, crisis-proof young people who are ready for whatever path comes next after high school. To learn more about ASA, visit www.asa.org/about-asa.
About FREE TO DREAM™
Founded by artist, actor, and activist COMMON, FREE TO DREAM™ is a grassroots organization with a global reach, dedicated to uplifting the dreams of opportunity youth and systems-impacted individuals. Through programs, pathways, and digital resources in creative arts and self-expression, FREE TO DREAM™ helps young people transform their life outcomes and communities. By leveraging the power of creativity and culture, the organization works toward a more just and joyful future—where every dream can come alive and thrive. To learn more about FREE TO DREAM™, visit www.iamfreetodream.org.
About Communities In Schools
Communities In Schools® (CIS®) is a national organization that ensures every student has what they need to realize their potential in school and beyond. Working directly inside more than 3,000 schools across the country, we connect students to caring adults and community resources that help them see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. Together, we build a powerful change movement made up of peers, students, and alumni committed to building a path to education for future generations. Follow us for news @communitiesinschools on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, @cisnational on X (formerly Twitter) or with the hashtag #BeingPresentMatters.
