This Thursday, April 28, San Diego entrepreneur and Debut Director of California Programs, Lance Growth will be hosting Ice Cream for a Dream at Chavez Elementary School. Ice Cream for a Dream is a community initiative sponsored by The Dream Support Network, an organization whose mission is to support, encourage and inspire individuals to live the life of their dreams. Students at Chavez Elementary will have the chance to share their dreams – and 3 ways they intend to accomplish that dream - in exchange for free ice cream at the "Ice Cream for A Dream" Truck. There are few things that can motivate children quite like receiving a treat. Ice Cream for a Dream has catapulted this theory into a program that is both successful and inspiring.
Abdul-Rahmaan I. Muhammad aka Dream Chaser #1, created the Dream Support Network in 2011, and the Ice Cream for a Dream program has since become a signature event of the organization. Ice Cream for a Dream began as a one day event intended to promote the importance of having and following dreams. On August 8, 2012 a group of dream chasers and volunteers handed out more than 700 ice creams in Hartford, CT in response to the question, "What is your dream?" Since that fateful day more than 3 years ago, Ice Cream for A Dream has made hundreds of stops, giving out thousands of free ice creams locally and internationally. Dream Chaser #1 also provided mentorship and support to East Hartford native, Lance Growth.
Today, Lance is the organization's Debut Director of California Programs and a graduate of Thomas Jefferson School of Law where he spent his last year as a Management Intern for San Diego City Councilwoman, Myrtle Cole. He is also a member of the Earl B. Gililam Bar Association. Lance has been referred to as a future titan of industry, public servant and changemaker. This Thursday, Lance will be offering Chavez Elementary youth the opportunity to express their dreams and maybe become changemakers themselves. While many kids tend to put forward such dreams as “I want to be a firefighter, an athlete, an astronaut”, Lance will be promoting different options to the Chavez youth at the Ice Cream for a Dream event. Together with Mayor Kevin Faulconer and first-ever female San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman, Lance and a team of local entrepreneurs will be handing out ice cream in return for currency in the form of dreams.
Chavez Elementary School serves 462 students in grades Kindergarten – 5, and has a minority enrollment of 99% of the student body, which is more than the state average of 75%. Per Lance, “this is a day that we get to make a difference in the lives of a lot of kids. Some of these kids [have] never even heard the word entrepreneur. Some of these kids have never been seriously told they can be anything… [so] I am bringing 15 young entrepreneurs and business professionals with me to help hand out ice cream. My goal is to introduce kids to the idea of “ownership”. In this digital age, kids need to understand that they don’t have to fill a role but they can create an entirely new position…I am excited about the group of young entrepreneurs and business professionals I have already gathered. The list includes: Deanne Arthur, Jeff Discher, Peter Lemke, Kevin McLaughlin, Steve Orosco, Errol Asuncion, Jeremy Evans, Chris Martin, Nicole Heffel, Cody Dyce, Keisha Leilani, Jamar Sharif Williams, Uriah Ubabylove Francisco, Anthony Leroand, Bardia Rahim, David Jones, Sean Flanagan, and others”.
There is truly something special and empowering about a child realizing he or she has the potential to be anyone, to do anything. Ice Cream for a Dream is the perfect platform to offer children this realization. Through encouragement, holding the children accountable to their dreams, and paying it forward, The Dream Network and Ice Cream for a Dream are showing us all that we should Never Stop Dreaming.
To learn more about the "Ice Cream for A Dream" initiative and The Dream Support Network, please visit www.thedreamsupportnetwork.com
Chavez Elementary School Contact Information
1404 S. 40th St.
San Diego, CA 92113
(619) 362-3200