In the early 1990s I would bring friends into my classroom to speak to my students I began to see connections form. I saw my students begin to believe in their dreams of becoming the first person in their immediate families to attend college. After a while those same students, through hard work and perseverance, would turn those dreams into reality. And at the same time I noticed a change in many of my friends, who were connecting with young people they would not ordinarily have had the pleasure of interacting with. For many of them a sense of satisfaction arose from extending themselves to the bright young people of our future. It was wonderful because I was witnessing human bridges being built.
In 1996, after teaching high school in D.C. for six years, I had an idea for a one-day charity basketball tournament to help raise money for academic college scholarships for a few of my students. Fast-forward more than a decade later and HDSF has transformed from a one day event into a year-round institution that provides a unique and powerful experience for our students and adult volunteers through our yearlong mentoring, college preparatory and SAT preparatory programs and professional internship program. We provide an opportunity for people, who normally do not come together, to link up and form long-lasting relationships. Our organization is much more than a college access program. We use a comprehensive approach to working with young people. Many of our students do not take typical routes to success. HDSF offers them a support system that extends beyond financial assistance. We provide them with valuable connections to local professionals who serve to enhance their overall lives in addition to their academic careers. We are proud that we have helped more than 900 Washington D.C. students move forward with their lives and we’ve helped to build thousands of relationships.”