Nationwide Impact

An Achievable Dream is influencing more than students in Newport News.  We are shaping the techniques used to address poverty-based education across the country.  As word of the Dream spreads, our success will be positively affecting students in every community. 

Shaping Educational Trends

An Achievable Dream staff members frequently participate in the nationwide discussion on best practices in education.  Founder Walter Segaloff has received numerous awards and recognition from educational leaders across the nation for his dedication and tenacity for improving the future for our youth.   Executive Director Richard Coleman is a frequent guest speaker at various educational conferences and seminars.  In 2007, Coleman was invited and spoke in front of a Congressional committee dealing with No Child Left Behind legislation. 

AAD as a Model for Students of Poverty

Quality education tactics that make a difference in the lives of children is a constant search for many educators.   The special situations that confront students of poverty leave many educators without success from their normal techniques that work with more affluent students.  

Every school system in America must deal with the portion of its population that lives below the poverty line - and with No Child Left Behind, schools can no longer rely on averages to misrepresent a group of students.  

An Achievable Dream has more than 15 years of experience successfully raising test scores and closing the achievement gap for minority students.  We have become a known leader in poverty-stricken education, and have risen as a model for longer school days, uniforms, year round schooling and character education.

Community Visitors

An Achievable Dream is host to more than 100 visitors a year at our schools.   Many community leaders, politicians, city officials, donors, college and national athletes, visiting school systems and others take a few hours out of the beginning of their day to shake hands and visit An Achievable Dream.  

An Achievable Dream has a robust Speaker Series for both the Academy and the Middle & High Schools, with motivational guests sometimes once a week at each school.   For students in kindergarten through second grade, adult speakers and community leaders spend some time reading to the students.   If you would like to participate as a speaker, send your info and bio to info@achievabledream.com

Urban Leadership and Learning Center

In 1995, An Achievable Dream assisted in the creation of the Urban Learning and Leadership Center (ULLC).  ULLC is a organization focused on the dissemination of the education and social model used at An Achievable Dream.  The Social, Academic and Moral Education (S.A.M.E) curriculum is in place in each of An Achievable Dream's facilities and serves as a reliable and strong predictor of student success.   Best practices and techniques from S.A.M.E have been successfully implemented in schools systems across the nation with ULLC support. 

ULLC currently works in partnership with An Achievable Dream to spread the word about the 'Dream' and S.A.M.E in Virginia, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina and many other states.