Los Angeles

Richard Wolf accepts the award on behalf of the I Have a Dream Foundation.

The Los Angeles Division is pleased to honor the I Have a Dream Foundation for using education to deter students from participating in crime, drugs, gangs, and violence.

Annually, the I Have a Dream Foundation selects an entire first, second, or third grade class from an underperforming school and makes a commitment to support those students until they graduate from high school.

In 2010 in Pasadena, the foundation celebrated the high school graduation of their first group of students. More than 80 percent of those students graduated, and 35 of them are enrolled in college.

By serving as positive adult role models, foundation volunteers encourage students to avoid gangs, substance abuse, dating violence, and teen pregnancy. Many of the students are the first in their families to graduate from high school or go to college. Through the support of volunteers, students learn that by graduating from high school, they more than double their lifetime earning potential and become a positive role model for younger siblings.

High resolution image