SERVICE AREA:
Any youth who is attending Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove, Hersey, Prospect, Rolling Meadows, or Wheeling High Schools, or the feeder schools of Holmes or London Middle Schools is eligible to participate in the program. This includes all of Arlington Heights, Elk Grove, Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, Rolling Meadows and Wheeling. In addition parts of the communities of Des Plaines and Buffalo Grove are eligible to participate in the program.

PARTICIPANT SELECTION:
Students who meet the following criteria are eligible for the program:

1)	Qualify for free/reduced lunch and/or are in special education classes at school
2)	Underachieving academically
3)	Have a desire to receive help and better themselves
4)	Are legal in the USA (citizen, alien registration card, or naturalization papers

Once eligible participants are identified, the program is explained to both parents and students. Upon completion of the enrollment application and the obtaining of the last full year’s report card, program staff will be in a position to make final approval of a student. Middle school students’ program runs Tuesday through Friday. High school students’ program runs Monday through Friday.

HOW THE DREAM MAKER’S PROGRAM FUNCTIONS:
The program provides transportation via 15-passenger vans for the students from their schools to our program sites and to their homes. We concentrate on academics for an hour and fifteen minutes, including time for a snack. Each staff member works with a small group of students. Our objectives are completion of homework first, and then projects designed to strengthen students' reading, math, test-taking, organization, and literacy skills. The students are allowed to use computers for homework assignments and research, including filtered Internet access.

DAILY INCENTIVES:
After academic time, students are awarded 25 minutes of game time. They have access to a jukebox and video games, air hockey, foosball, ping-pong, a pool table, board games, and arcade games. Game time also includes basketball and volleyball. Student use of the game room is an immediate reward for the work put forth during the academic time. One staff member and one driver will then transport the students home.

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS:
After completion of the 1st quarter or trimester in the program, no student will be allowed to have failing work in any class at any marking period of at least a quarter in length. Upon the third unexcused absence in a school year, a student will be removed from the program and will need to complete reinstatement successfully to return. It is expected that students’ academic success and GPA will improve when students fully participate in the program. A student’s place in the program will not be taken away as long as he/she is living up to the standards of attendance, behavior, and academic achievement as put forth by the GWAYO, Inc. and individual goals.

LONG TERM INCENTIVES: Students will have the opportunity to attend semi-annual field trips. Students who achieve their academic goals are rewarded with gift certificates to a store of their choice. We also help students find part-time jobs and internships particularly in the summer program.

LONG TERM GOALS:
When students reach fourteen years of age and are eligible to work, we will assist them in getting part-time work at times they are not in the program. Upon high school graduation, students will be encouraged to pursue additional higher education such as trade school, vocational school, community college, or a four-year college program. We will help students procure financial aid and will pay up to $5,000 of unmet costs for tuition, room and board, and books per year for up to four years.