Applegate

Important Contacts:

DREAM

• Alexie Myles, Berkshire Region Community Organizer | abrown@dreamprogram.org
  • Office: 22 Willowbrook Dr. (Back of Willowbrook Community Room)
• Kayla Daughtry, Berkshire Region Program Director | kdaughtry@dreamprogram.org
  • Office in Willowbrook Community Center
  • Bennington Office Phone Number: (802) 222-6971

Additional Staff Emails can be found at www.dreamprogram.org under "Our Staff"

Bennington College

• Matthew Scott, Director for Student Engagement | mscott@bennington.edu
  • Office: UpCaf Room 203, Bennington College's Campus

Applegate CoChairs

• Listserv | applegatechairs@dreamprogram.org
• Jasmine Groom | jasminegroom@bennington.edu
• Baylee "Beni" Frizzell | bayleefrizzell@bennington.edu

Willowbrook CoChairs

• Listserv | willowbrookchairs@dreamprogram.org
• Andre James | andrejames@bennington.edu
• Ben Watson | benjaminwatson@bennington.edu
• India Carter-Bolick | indiacarterbolick@bennington.edu
• Alyssa Pong | alyssapong@bennington.edu

Interested in becoming a Co-Chair?

Co-Chair Position Description

Selection Process + Co-Chair Application

Important Dates For Spring 2019:

• End of Field Work Term: February 14th, 2020
• Monthly Trips to Hildene Farm: Second Wednesday of each month
• Winter Adventure Challenge: TBD

To Be Updated/Submitted Weekly:

• DREAM Wednesday Attendance
• Applegate Budget

Regular Meeting Times:

• Weekly Mentor Meeting: TBD
• Weekly Co-Chair Meeting: Varies on weekly schedule
• DREAM Wednesday: 4-6PM every Wednesday, Location Varies

Important Information:

• Listserv (Google Group of all Applegate mentors): applegate@dreamprogram.org
• Listserv (Google Group of all Applegate Co-chairs): applegatechairs@dreamprogram.org

**AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE IN REGARD OF COVID-19**

4/21/2020:

DREAM Programming has been cancelled for the remainder of the academic school year in order to comply with Stay-At-Home Orders within the state of Vermont, as well as for the health and safety of our mentees, families, mentors, and partners. We are still here to support our wide-spread community through resource connection, pen-palling, phone calls, and online/"E-Mentoring". We are still intending on holding our summer programs come June, whether it be following the Mentoring from a Distance Model or in person, to continue our dedication towards preventing the Summer Slide in children's development and to continue being a supportive resource for our mentees. We are very proud of our mentors for continuing to dedicate their time to their mentees and are even more appreciative and inspired by their efforts and creativity. Thank you for all that you do and for being part of the DREAM family!

Sincerely,

Alexie Myles

3/11/2020:

Dear DREAMers,

I am reaching out to provide guidance, as of today’s date (March 11, 2020), for participation and operations of DREAM programming with regard to the ongoing concern and spread of the Coronavirus. Many of your Community Organizers have already communicated this to you, but I wanted to reiterate.

The Coronavirus is prevalent in our news worldwide and has affected some of our regions directly. Accurate information about how the virus is impacting our local communities is very important. As of today, we are not aware of any reported cases of Coronavirus on any of our partner college campuses or in any of the communities we serve. (There are many sources of up-to-date, accurate information on the disease and its spread, including the CDC and state health departments.)

I know your own lives are also in a state of uncertainty. Your schools have provided a variety of recommendations over the last handful of days. Some of you will not be returning for spring classes, some of you have extended spring breaks, some of your study abroad classes have been cancelled, and others of you are in a state of limbo, waiting to hear more from your school administrations on what actions will be taken.

My top concern is your health and safety and the health and safety of our mentees.

With coronavirus’ recent introduction to the east and a corresponding flurry of activity happening across different levels of government and the private sector, there is a high degree of uncertainty around the trajectory of the virus. It is also a time of spring breaks for mentors and staff, and I want to mitigate the heightened risk that significant travel to many different locations around the country poses to our youth and families. With these considerations in mind, I am asking all DREAM sites to suspend their activities until the first week of April. While no single individual in our organization may be at a particular high risk, it is a time for us to be team players in the effort to make this virus short lived in our communities and to protect those we serve.

I want to encourage us all to view this as a time for increased, though virtual, communication with our mentees and their families. Phone calls, video chat, email, texting, and snail mail can mean a lot. Providing consistency from loved ones is one of the most important things we can do during a disruptive and anxiety inducing period of time.

As a former mentor and chair, I understand how important DREAM time is for both mentors and mentees, especially for those of you who are graduating seniors. My hope is that, with the warming weather and strengthening response, we see the virus run a quick course and can get back to building powerful relationships.

Going forward, I will provide weekly updates to our community. I am also available directly to discuss the evolution of our own response. Please feel free to call or email.

Michael Ewan <michael.ewan@dreamprogram.org>

Thank you for helping to keep our youth and communities safe. You are amazing and I deeply appreciate your commitment to the mentees and their families.

Transportation:

Bennington College Vans reserved at least one week in advance through Anya Piotrowski, $13/hr OR if mentor registered to drive van, free.

Note: If what you are looking for is not on this page please check the other tabs. If you can still not find it please email Kayla or Alexie for assistance.