Message From Our President & CEO
Kaye Taavialma
We hope the start of this new school year has been as exciting for you as it has been for us!
The day after Labor Day kicked off our third year of after-school programming at both Westwood and ZPlace Opportunity centers, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with our continued growth. Each site has experienced a significant uptick in enrollment from last fall, which means we are beginning our year 97% enrolled. This is entirely attributable to our amazing site teams' hard work and dedication. Make sure to keep scrolling to learn more about them!
A Look Back at Summer 2023
Summer Camp 2023 was a success at both sites, with youth engaging in daily activities focused on the pillars of our work:
academic development
social-emotional learning
college and career exploration
We also made sure to sprinkle in a healthy dose of fun. Each week, we partnered with area non-profits to provide enrichment opportunities for youth. They particularly loved Make a Chess Move, where they learned the game's intricacies and challenged their teachers and peers to impromptu matches. Of course, summer camp is only complete with a healthy dose of field trips. A news story about ZPlace’s trip to the Denver Aquarium is linked here.
The Year Ahead
And, I find myself, suddenly, at the end of my first quarter (plus a bit) with Colorado Dream Foundation. Honestly, it still remains a dream for me to have landed here, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with this fantastic team. We are poised to do some amazing things this year, and I hope you will join us on the journey!
Remember, you must dare to dream big so big dreams can come true.
Kaye Taavialma
President & CEO
Colorado Dream Foundation
