About REAL Kids
REAL Kids, DREAM’s award-winning elementary school literacy program, serves kids in four key areas—Baseball/Softball, Academic Enrichment, Social and Emotional Development, and New Experiences. These activities help youth build literacy, social and emotional skills, improve their overall health and fitness, and discover new hobbies and passions.
The summer program directly combats the prevalence of summer learning loss among low-income youth. On average, children from low-income families lose nearly three months of grade-level equivalency during the summer each year due to a lack of engaging learning opportunities, compared to an average of less than one month lost by middle-income children.
Program outcomes
- Reading level promotion
- Improvement in speaking and listening skills
- Social and emotional development
- Physical fitness and confidence on the field
Want to learn more?
Making Dreams Real in Newark
In July 2017, we kicked off our award-winning REAL Kids program in the South Ward of Newark, New Jersey, and began working with kids outside of New York City for the first time.
In Summer 2018, we went from serving 70 kids in grades K-1 to serving 160 kids in grades K-3. With the support of our partners at B.R.I.C.K. Peshine Academy Community School, we’ll continue to grow and empower even more kids in Newark to realize their dreams.
For more information about REAL Kids in Newark, please reach out to Jim Fabros at jfabros@wearedream.org.
Success story
Carter is a 3rd grade REAL kid. Over the summer, he read and learned about the Olympics, wrote about his favorite athletes, and played ball. With the support of his Workshop Teacher and Learning Coaches, Carter avoided summer learning loss and went into the new school year strong! It’s no wonder he earned an “E for Effort” award.
Enrollment Information
REAL Kids offers free summer camp for youth in East Harlem and the South Bronx. Preference is provided to DREAM Charter School and DREAM partner school families through March 4, and then all youth are enrolled on a first come first served basis.
Summer camp operates from July 1 through August 9 and is off on July 4 and July 5.
For East Harlem applicants please submit to 333 East 100th Street between 10:00am and 5:00pm Monday through Friday.
For South Bronx applicants please submit to REAL Kids staff at P.S. 18 X at 502 Morris Avenue between 3:00pm and 6:00pm Monday through Friday.
All program elements are free.
Only completed applications will be accepted.
Please reach out to the appropriate staff member below with questions.
East Harlem
Grades K-1
Louise Phillips
lphillips@wearedream.org
East Harlem
Grades 2-3
Emmerson Yaxte
eyaxte@wearedream.org
East Harlem
Grades 4-5
Maleek Bryant
mlbryant@wearedream.org
South Bronx
Grades K-5
Maleck Bryant
mbryant@wearedream.org
Emely Ramirez
eramirez@wearedream.org
Newark
Grades K-3
Jim Fabros
jfabros@wearedream.org
General Inquiries
Andrew Waters
awaters@wearedream.org
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