“The more than 2,000 students of Frederick Douglass High School make up the largest urban High School in the Atlanta Public School System. The free seven week visit by the Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation Bus helped more than 400 of our students figure out a personal and educational game plan and reinforced that they better act fast to reach their full potential in 2008,” said Principal J. Austin Brown.

“On the Wheels of Dreams Bus and through the outstanding speakers at the Student Motivation Rally our students had an opportunity to tap into this wealth of educational power to understand they have to self-motivate themselves to succeed in a business of their own, job, career or college. The multicultural approach and hands-on computer interaction was very popular with our students who also received college scholarships through the Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation,” said Brown.  

 “This is the second visit by the Wheels of Dreams Bus program to the DeKalb Transition Academy. This four week visit in 2008 was as easy, smooth, exciting and effective. The 200 students who visited the Wheels Bus and attended the Student Motivation Rally were from grades 6-12. The Wheels of Dreams programs offered them a chance to understand they may have made choices in their life they can learn from and rebuild their life for a better future,” said Principal Annette S. Williams.

“Our students who have disciplinary problems need unique educational opportunities that the Wheels of Dreams Bus provided that are literally outside the traditional school setting. The Motivation Rally and the role models who came out to our school provided real answers to real problems our students face day-to-day. This is a great creative partnership between our school, the business community and volunteer professional leaders who understand our students need help to learn social, emotional, academic and moral growth habits to turn their life around,” said Williams.

Banneker High School Principal Robert Williams said “the Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation Student Motivation Rally that kicked off the seven week visit of the Wheels of Dreams Bus was outstanding.” “It is the first time we have had so many business and professional leaders on stage sharing their personal hints and tips for success. Both the Motivation Rally and the Wheels Bus visits provided mentor insights, vital job and career messages for the more than 800 students who participated in the program from our school,” said Williams.

Clarkston High School Principal Joe Jenkins says "the recent Wheels of Dreams eight week program provided proven initiatives to helped more than 250 Senior and Junior level students focus on their future. The Wheels Program helps us build bridges and engage the student with the necessary by-in to create successful skill sets." "The Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation and the sponsors provides students entrepreneur, computer and money management to improve their social responsibility on the job, in college and career to assume integral leadership roles within their communities," said Jenkins.

Therrell High School Principal Dr. Eldrick Horton is excited to have the Wheels of Dreams Bus program visit his school because the junior and senior students who participate incorporates a unique supplemental learning environment that blends teaching computer skills and entrepreneur education that inspire students to succeed in their area of interest.

"The Wheels of Dreams Program has confirmed my convictions that we must do all we can to help students find their innate talent and passions," said Horton. The Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation also helps our administrators, faculty, staff, families, business partners, and the community share responsibility for providing new and innovative ways to instill students with an enthusiasm for life long learning," said Horton.

Southside High School Principal Dr. Shirlene Carter believes that when students visit and get classroom credit for attending the Wheels Program it helps motivate them with alternative rigorous, relevant and standards-based curriculum. "The Wheels of Dreams Bus program helps our students achieve real-life career, social and academic excellence," said Carter. "The entrepreneur mentors who visit the bus and share their personal hints and tips of entrepreneur success provide positive role models that help our community produce productive citizens, said Carter.

Stone Mountain High School Principal Carolyn Williams consistently focuses on ways to prepare students to excel in attaining knowledge for the benefit of the individual and community. "The Wheels of Dreams program is an innovative tool to help our teachers grab the attention of our students with the message they can become successful entrepreneurs, have their dreams come true, help their family and their neighborhoods," said Williams.

"Wheels of Dreams bus summer program visited 11 library locations in Central Atlanta, South Fulton and North Fulton County. We joined the Wheels of Dreams because of our desire to help to make reading and learning relevant and fun for all youth," said Doris Jackson, Youth Services Coordinator Atlanta/Fulton Library System. "With the help of the Atlanta Public Schools, BMOA, parents and students the Wheels of Dreams has developed an immense bundle of interactive computer programs that are synonymous with positive youth success ideas and achievement", added Jackson.

"With the visits of the Wheels of Dreams program we continue the mission of our Atlanta/Fulton Library System to provide an exciting, a cool and safe environment filled with vital resources for youth. And we always want to push the kids to explore their interests and help make their dreams come true. The bundling of technology, job and career awareness, with entrepreneur ideas and healthy lifestyle choices provide youth educational connections to improve their future, families and community," said Jackson.

"We are exited about the Wheels of Dreams program bringing its mobile entrepreneur and technology bus to our school because it helps us teach our students that today's job market demands that they work harder, become more productive and add true value to their job's business model," said Dr. Tyrone Smith, Principal, Mays High School.

"The after school Wheels of Dreams program in partnership with After-School All-Stars is an effective business and life skills program. It really has its finger on the pulse of how to reach middle-school students with important business lessons at a vital stage of their life," said Mrs. Carolyn Huff, Principal, King Middle School.

The program survey feedback and testing of the diverse Black, Latino, Asian and White students, comments from teachers, school officials and parents all indicate the Wheels program provides a robust, strategic focus on student success. The BMOA Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation Board of Directors provide ongoing leadership support, operational funding development and oversight for the program. The successful Wheels of Dreams program provides positive options to the self-destructive habits that keep disadvantaged, at-risk, low-income urban high school students out of the economic and social mainstream.

2007 Banneker High School Program: Click Here to view!

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