Purpose

Who

Street of Dreams provides an arts education, college prep program for teen mothers who are often the first high school graduates and college attendees in their families. Many of our students have grown up in the juvenile justice system, foster care, group homes, homeless shelters, juvenile hall.
 

What

Operational since 1998, Street of Dreams began as a volunteer arts education program. Today, Street of Dreams works in partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education, Lindsay Community School (pregnant and parenting teens) and San Diego City College. The result being an inexpensive college education structure specifically designed to increase high school and college graduation rates among teen mothers who come from back grounds of extreme child abuse and poverty. 100% OF OUR STUDENTS COMPLETE OUR PROGRAM, GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND ENROLL IN COLLEGE.
 

When and Where

Street of Dreams is a year round program. Classes take place at Lindsay Community School and on the campus of San Diego City College.
 

How

Using a simple method called “word art” the creative process is used as a healing mechanism. Our students are guided to view their difficult past as their greatest artistic asset. They transform feelings of hoplessness and despair into art works and public performance. Their original creations (book of poetry/photography, public service video, public performance) provide a profound emotional and cathartic experience for participants and their audience. This process is essential to the healthy development of our teen mothers who have been isolated from normal social interaction. A dead end becomes a Street of Dreams.

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Why

The United States has the highest number of incarcerated juveniles in the world. Childhood homelessness is now a fact of life among San Diego’s poor.
 

Solution

Street of Dreams has joined the global movement to educate girls. The education of girls has been proven to be the fastest way to break cycles of generational poverty. Generational poverty is the root cause of addiction, incarceration, child abuse, human trafficking and homelessness. EDUCATION IS THE SOLUTION – STREET OF DREAMS IS PART OF THE SOLUTION.

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“The education of girls is the strongest anti-poverty tool we have today…worldwide.” ~ Melinda Gates