American Dream Academy inspires parents and students to pursue academic dreams

Are you a parent who wants to know more about how to help your students be successful during their journey through high school and college?

The American Dream Academy is a program that bridges the gap between a student’s dreams and their aspirations.

The Academy sends experts to local schools to educate parents and students on topics such as what tests are required and scholarship processes.

“As a parent, I would want to know, where is my student going, what is his goal, what can I do as a parent?” said Nidhi Sharma, assistant principal at Kofa High School.

Sharma realized that there were many first-generation parents who wanted to learn how to help their students.

“During registration, there were many parents wanting to hear more and more,” Sharma said.

San Luis H igh School as well as Yuma high school are among other schools that have previously offered this program.

Though the orientation class is over, there are still weekly opportunities to attend these academy sessions.

It is a requirement that the student attends all classes with the parents.

According to Sharma, during orientation, 122 parents began steps to learn more about their student’s journey which means there were double the number if not more students in attendance.

“It was overwhelming,” Sharma said.

Orientation, which was presented both in English and Spanish, gave attendees an idea of different topics that would be discussed over the following 8 weeks.

Common questions were what types of scholarships their students can receive, and even, how parents could further their own education.

“There are some parents who went to school through eighth grade and left because of some restraints, so they are thinking, can I do anything myself,” Sharma said.

This program gives parents hope that they too can complete their education.

“Anybody who has been in high school or has passed high school and still aspires to go to college, we are here to help you,” Sharma said.

Throughout the upcoming 8 week sessions, the main theme discussed will be how to bridge the gap between high school and college.

Parents will be lectured on what they can do for their student each year of high school freshman through senior year.

What are tests they can take?

What are the scholarship opportunities they can take advantage of?

How can they contact different universities?

The Dream Academy wants to remind parents that students aspiring to attend Arizona State University can obtain a $4,000 reward.

Parents will also be taught how to fill out forms and applications.

“Many of our parents who are not very proficient in English, they needed somebody to guide them in Spanish,” Sharma said.

“It’s not about getting them a job, but getting them the skills and knowledge they need in order to get them that specific job,” she said.

The sessions are every Wednesday from 5:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. through December 12.

Two facilitators with the Academy will be from Kofa, allowing for understanding based on that specific campus.

Parents and students can attend at any time even if it is only for the last session.

The program is for the community, this means even parents from other schools or grandparents can attend.

“When we educate a family, we educate the overall outlook, if we educate a mother in a family three kids can benefit versus if we only tell one child,” Sharma said.

According to Sharma, if parents understand the importance of education and why it is important to have aspirations, student’s academic achievements will increase.

“There’s a huge relation between parental involvement and academic achievement,” she said.

Kofa’s hope is to create an environment enriched in academics with the help of the American Dream Academy.

“How wonderful, how beautiful will it be if we can all become academically inclined,” Sharma said