First and Goal Seeks to Overcome Negative Influences With Dare to Dream Program
- By Staff Writer
- Published 08/23/2009
- Youth
- Unrated
AUGUST- In 1999, a partnership was formed between NFL players, Tyrone Smith, Darnell Walker (San Francisco 49ers) and Derrick Harris (San Diego Chargers). The purpose of this partnership was to create an organization, First and Goal, Inc., that would service the needs of today’s youth. In a world full of negative influences, they hoped to create unique programs and services that would offer positive influences and role models.
Youth have a tendency to first look to model themselves after someone seen as respectable or successful before displaying delinquent behavior. Impacting today’s youth with positive influences and positive role models was paramount to the founders because much of their success, on the field, and off the field, could be attributed to their involvement in youth programs similar to the ones that First and Goal, Inc. now provides to other youth.
Recently, Team First and Goal provided leadership training at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas to 47 students attending Aldine and Nimitz High Schools in Aldine Independent School District as part of the “Preparing to Dream (PTD)” initiative. Aldine ISD is one of five school districts selected to be a part of the PTD initiative which is directed by the National College Access Network (NCAN) and Houston A+ Challenge and is designed to foster a unified commitment to increase postsecondary enrollment and success for students in the Houston/Gulf Port region. One goal of the PTD initiative is to assist district leadership with transforming schools to create a college-going culture by allocating resources to focus more on directing students towards postsecondary education.
The students attending the college awareness and preparation training in Austin are known as the Dream Team, and were trained on how to complete college applications, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and the importance of preparing to take college entrance exams. Additionally, they are challenged with motivating their peers and assisting them with the college application process. Team First and Goal staff members spoke with students about ways to combat the negative pitfalls of their environments, and to inspire one another and their peers to achieve their goals through higher education or college attendance.
Parental involvement is a very important part of the PTD initiative and parents are solicited to be mentors and to help encourage other parents about the importance of higher education for their children. Dr. Charlotte J. Davis, Director of Guidance and Counseling for Aldine ISD and Twiana Collier, Coordinator of Student Financial Aid for Aldine ISD serve as Project Coordinators for the Preparing to Dream initiative.
For more information, visit www.teamfirstandgoal.org.
Participants in the “Prepare to Dream” Peer Leadership Program in Austin, Texas hosted by First and Goal.
Youth have a tendency to first look to model themselves after someone seen as respectable or successful before displaying delinquent behavior. Impacting today’s youth with positive influences and positive role models was paramount to the founders because much of their success, on the field, and off the field, could be attributed to their involvement in youth programs similar to the ones that First and Goal, Inc. now provides to other youth.
Recently, Team First and Goal provided leadership training at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas to 47 students attending Aldine and Nimitz High Schools in Aldine Independent School District as part of the “Preparing to Dream (PTD)” initiative. Aldine ISD is one of five school districts selected to be a part of the PTD initiative which is directed by the National College Access Network (NCAN) and Houston A+ Challenge and is designed to foster a unified commitment to increase postsecondary enrollment and success for students in the Houston/Gulf Port region. One goal of the PTD initiative is to assist district leadership with transforming schools to create a college-going culture by allocating resources to focus more on directing students towards postsecondary education.
The students attending the college awareness and preparation training in Austin are known as the Dream Team, and were trained on how to complete college applications, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and the importance of preparing to take college entrance exams. Additionally, they are challenged with motivating their peers and assisting them with the college application process. Team First and Goal staff members spoke with students about ways to combat the negative pitfalls of their environments, and to inspire one another and their peers to achieve their goals through higher education or college attendance.
Parental involvement is a very important part of the PTD initiative and parents are solicited to be mentors and to help encourage other parents about the importance of higher education for their children. Dr. Charlotte J. Davis, Director of Guidance and Counseling for Aldine ISD and Twiana Collier, Coordinator of Student Financial Aid for Aldine ISD serve as Project Coordinators for the Preparing to Dream initiative.
For more information, visit www.teamfirstandgoal.org.
Participants in the “Prepare to Dream” Peer Leadership Program in Austin, Texas hosted by First and Goal.