Sign Up for the 9th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic Fundraiser that will be held October 20, 2008!

The Black McDonald’s Operator Association, BMOA Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation and the BMOA Wheels of Dreams Bus program has just passed the 8,000 youth participant mark. “The recent visits by the Wheels of Dreams Bus to Atlanta Fulton County Library System branches have just pushed us over the 8,000 youth participation goal in 2008,” said John Hurt, president of the BMOA Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation.

The successful ongoing free Wheels of Dreams programs are possible through the alliances with a wide array of 23 school systems, civic, community and business stakeholders. The BMOA began its work on the Wheels of Dreams Foundation in 2000. Stakeholder collaboration has been the key to helping to address the challenging issues of providing results driven, relevant programs, and positive role models for low-income and at-risk students. “On behalf of all of our BMOA members, our partners and sponsors we are honored to serve our community and to mark this milestone of 8,000 youth participants in our programs," said Hurt.

“You can sign-up now for our 9th Annual Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation Celebrity Golf Classic fundraiser that will be held October 20, 2008. We are asking everyone to join us as we are energized by our youth, parents, school officials, partners, sponsors, mentors and volunteers and make this learning experience a success. We look forward to your support for the years to come,” said Van Jakes, BMOA Member and Celebrity Golf Classic Director.

“We are asking you to sign up today, spread the word about our Celebrity Golf Classic held this year at the Crystal Lake Golf and Country Club in Hampton, Georgia. Individuals and businesses can make a difference and help metro-Atlanta youth that will participated in the Wheels of Dreams programs discover pathways to their dreams of becoming an entrepreneur, staying in school, going to college and becoming community volunteers,” said Leon Goodrum, BMOA Member and Celebrity Golf Classic Co-Director.

“The Wheels of Dreams will continue to be an innovative and exciting supplemental educational program that provides direct services and learning experiences in areas that include; entrepreneurship, mentors, computer skills, job, career, money management, college scholarships, healthy eating/exercise tips and civic responsibility lessons, “ said Vicki Chancellor, president of the BMOA Atlanta Region.

“The core mission of the Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation is to help youth push back the negative influences of gangs, drugs and violence,” said Vicki Chancellor.

The Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation was founded by the 27 members of the BMOA in 2003. The Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation, Inc. is non-profit certified 501 (c)-3 organization and sponsors the Wheels of Dreams Bus.

“Since we began our strategic alliances eight years ago with the Greater Atlanta McDonald’s Operator Association, The Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, The Coca-Cola Company, Gateway, WSB-TV, V-103, Equifax, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Atlanta Public Schools, After-School All-Stars, Georgia State University, Mayor Shirley Franklin and those who have participated in our Celebrity Golf Classic we all have continued to make dreams come true for youth who really need our help, “said Chancellor.

2008 BMOA Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation College Scholarship Winner

(L-R Douglass High School Principal J. Austin Brown; BMOA Member, Shiroleen Hurt, Miller Johnson IV, BMOA Wheels of Dreams Bus Entrepreneur Educator, Mia Myers)

“I am honored to receive the BMOA Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation College Scholarship for my work at Douglass high school and my volunteer work in the community. The scholarship will help me as I attend the University of Florida and major in political science. I have a dream to one day practice law, become an elected official and help my community every way I can,” said Miller Johnson IV.

The Wheels of Dreams Bus is an ongoing supplemental educational program that is currently visiting high schools in the 19 county metro Atlanta area. The Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation program and Wheels of Dreams Bus program for students are held at a number of schools that include; Avondale, Banneker, Chamblee, Clarkston, Columbia, Douglass, Forest Park, Heritage, Mayes, McNair, Mount Zion, Mundy’s Mill, Open Campus, South Atlanta, Stone Mountain, Southside, Therrell and Washington High Schools in Metro Atlanta.

The Wheels of Dreams Bus and Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation offers a number of different programs with the number of visits on weekdays and weekends modified to fit the school or organization’s schedule. Weekend visits of the Wheels of Dreams Bus program for organizations and special events average nine hours on Saturday or Sunday.

The typical High School program is a seven week, five days a week program. The Wheels of Dreams Bus program for High School students generally runs Monday through Friday 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM.

The Wheels of Dreams Bus program lessons are provided in English and Spanish. We work in concert with school principals, teachers and guidance counselors and the Wheels of Dreams program has provided a successful class-credit teaching program with outstanding results.

Students rotate every half hour to 45 minutes from the classroom to instruction on the Wheels bus. Students are tested three times on course content during the seven week program; the results are shared with the students, their teachers and guidance counselors.

In addition to the Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation Student Motivation Rallies, Student Career Mentoring and the Wheels of Dreams Bus visits the Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation began a new college scholarship program in 2007. The Wheels of Dreams Scholarship program provides six students, four year $1,000 a year college scholarships to the awardees who have participated in the Wheels of Dreams Bus program, have displayed a commitment to their academic studies and have contributed to their community with volunteer work.
The 2007 Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation Awardees from Washington High School are DeAundrea Hollie, Demitria Barlowe, Marquez Wilson and Toyia Wiley.  The Awardees from Clarkston High School are Candice Blacknall and Farah Rahmatullah.

In addition to the Wheels of Dreams Youth Foundation Scholarships high school students who participate in programs on the Wheels of Dreams Bus also can learn how to fill out college scholarship applications to apply for a $1,500 - one time scholarship award from the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, ARMHC. The 160 ARMHC college scholarships that are available are awarded to Black, White, Hispanic and Asian Students in Metro Atlanta who display academic achievement and civic responsibility.

Students have visited the Wheels of Dreams Bus from Cobb and Gwinnett High Schools, Jackson High School; Jackson, GA, Evans High School and Josey High School in August, GA. Students have visited the Wheels of Dreams Bus program from King Middle School, North Clayton Middle School, Connally, Grove Park, Brown, Sylvan Hills and Harper-Archer Middle Schools. The Wheels of Dreams Bus will continue to offer its programs free to students with visits to schools other locations through out the year. Wheels of Dreams Bus visits are also planned for schools and events through out Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee. 

Since March of 2003 the Wheels of Dreams Bus has provided programs at locations and events that include:

• 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Bank of America Football Classic
• 100 Black Men of Atlanta Project Success Programs
• 100 Black Men of North Metro Programs
• Tavis Smiley / Microsoft Technology Expo
• Tavis Smiley / Road to Family Health Expo
• City of Atlanta, Mayor Shirley Franklin's Next Step Program
• City of Atlanta Workforce Development Agency
• City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation Department Summer Program
• National Black McDonald's Operators Association 2005 Convention
• Spelman College High School Visitors Program
• Grady Hospital Sickle Cell Teen Transition Unit
• Atlanta Fulton County Library Branches
• Middle School Events
• High Schools Events
• Community and Youth Neighborhood Program Events
• Faith Based Schools and Community Events
• WSB-TV People to People Community Affairs Programs
• V-103 Radio Station Events
• Hosea Williams Feed the Hungry and Homeless Events
• Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site (National Park Service)
• United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta  
• Juvenile Court of DeKalb County
• Voter Registration and Election Day Events
• Boys and Girls Clubs
• Butler Street YMCA
• The REACH Performing Arts and Entertainment Complex
• Atlanta Inner City Games Programs
• After School All Stars Programs
• Community Special Events
• McDonald's Restaurants
• McDonald's Venus and Serena Williams Tour Events
• Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities Event

The Wheels of Dreams Entrepreneur Educator, Mia Myers is an experienced entrepreneur, trainer and mentor. Mia provides the on-bus program instruction at eight interactive, earphone equipped computer workstations. The Wheels Bus also has a mentor presentation area and a computer cash register workstation to provide students customer service and hospitality skills. The Wheels of Dreams Bus is driven and parked at locations providing a safe, fun and educational environment. The Wheels of Dreams provides authentic options, hints and tips to help high school students focus their efforts on education, personal responsibility, free enterprise, hard work and not gangs, drugs and violence.

The Wheels of Dreams program content was developed, designed and approved during a nine month collaborative process by the Wheels of Dreams Education Task Force comprised of BMOA members, Georgia State University education advisors, Atlanta Public Schools, administrators, teachers, students, parents, neighborhoods leaders and business leaders.

Schools and organizations are provided an easy to follow Wheels of Dreams Starter Kit which is a step-by-step program instructional guide for student selection and scheduling. The Wheels Bus Entrepreneur Educator also assists in the survey and testing of the participating students with the results provide to the school guidance counselors or organizational program leader.

The bus dimensions are: length; 34 feet, width; 8 feet and height; 11 feet. The Bus is equipped with English and Spanish multi-module, self-paced, instructional content at 8 computer work areas with Gateway Profile 4 computers and Microsoft operating systems. In the 9th work area there is an operational Par Three touch cash register for customer service lessons and a mentor presentation area. The Wheels bus is heated and air-conditioned, and uses a self-powered by diesel generator for outdoor operation or electrical power for indoors.

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