Seven Dreams Volunteer Offers Teachers Plenty of Surprises

A volunteer with the Seven Dreams Foundation enjoys making dreams of teachers and staff in Robbinsdale Area Schools come true. Alana Erickson serves on the board of the Seven Dreams Education Foundation. She helped start the annual Bird Bash fundraiser.

“Alana has been such an asset to the Foundation,” explains Robin Chambers with Seven Dreams Foundation. “She’s been one of those people who has spearheaded our large gala. She’s also a person who will call up and say ‘I have a great idea, how can we move this forward?”

Alana Erickson is one of the individuals who kicked off the first Bird Bash. She wanted to do something when she noticed staff donated more money to grants than the community did. “If our staff can do this, then our community can do this as well,” explains Erickson. “Our goal was to really bring together the entire community in celebration of all of the good things that are happening and to make money and dream up more things.”

The next Bird Bash is scheduled for February 9, 2019 at Marriott Northwest in Brooklyn Park.

Seven Dreams Foundation grants

Once every year, the Seven Dreams Foundation hands out grants to teachers to fund projects and learning experiences at Robbinsdale Area Schools. Projects vary. Sonnesyn Elementary won a grant to help reestablish vegetable beds and butterfly gardens for the school. Teachers at Cooper High School purchase items for Hawk Lunch and Learn, a program that helps students explore interests like robotics.

“It gives students more opportunity to do what they love and more opportunities for us as teachers to support them academically,” says Chealsey Gleason, a teacher at Cooper High School.

The Foundation gave out more than $36,000 grants to teachers in 16 buildings this year.

The Seven Dreams Foundation is always looking for more volunteers to help with projects. You can keep up with happenings on their Facebook page, @SevenDreamsEducationFoundation or on their website.