TNP Launches Nationwide System for "I Have a Dream"® Foundation

July 27, 2004 - The Next Page has launched a nationwide data tracking and outcome measurement system for "I Have a Dream"® Foundation (www.ihad.org).

The "I Have a Dream"® Program helps children from low-income areas reach their education and career goals by providing a long-term program of mentoring, tutoring, and enrichment with an assured opportunity for higher education. Local "I Have a Dream"® Projects adopt an entire same-grade from an elementary school or an entire age group from a public housing development. They work with this group of children (the "Dreamers") and their families year-round from their elementary school years through college.

With over 180 Projects in 64 cities across 27 states (75 of which are currently active), "I Have a Dream"® has now served over 13,500 students during its more than two decades of operation. Many Dreamers who go to college are the first members of their families to do so.

The Forest Grove/Cornelius "I Have a Dream" program this week becomes one of the first in the nation to begin a web-based tracking system. Known as Stella, the system will allow IHAD programs to input and track Dreamers' academic progress and personal development.

"With some 300 Dreamers in the Forest Grove School District, we have a lot of record keeping to do and an enormous amount of data to track," said Cornetta Smith, program administrator for the "I Have a Dream"® Foundation Oregon. "We are definitely looking forward to having Stella join our team."

Smith said once the system is in place, it will help IHAD document Dreamers' progress and observe overall outcomes. That will allow IHAD become a more efficient, stronger program, she said. "This data will assist us immensely as we look at how we can improve and what we should focus on in the future," Smith said.

Training was housed in the Forest Grove School District office's recently-upgraded computer lab on Monday and Tuesday (today). Marquetta Drakes, technology specialist for the IHAD Foundation's national office, led training sessions. Project coordinators, staff and board members from Forest Grove participated.

The system will be rolled out to other IHAD projects across the nation throughout the month of August.

Founded in 1995 The Next Page (NXPAGE LLC) creates custom software solutions, delivers professional Web development services, database management and work flow enhancements to business, nonprofits and foundations, enabling these communities to collaborate through effective use of cutting edge technology.