Create Your Dreams mentors students from the 2nd grade until they no longer need CYD's support. CYD's executive director Kim Dennis says their program is like "extreme mentoring."

Create Your Dreams mentors students from the 2nd grade until they no longer need CYD's support. CYD's executive director Kim Dennis says their program is like "extreme mentoring."

Create Your Dreams, or CYD, is an after school program that provides long-term youth development, and is dedicated to helping students in underserved communities of Atlanta's Westside neighborhoods.

That means resources, opportunities and — perhaps most importantly — relationships that help these young Atlantans grow and succeed. This Friday, the organization celebrates its 25th anniversary. 

On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott speaks with Kim Dennis and Tykeria Tisinger.

Kim Dennis is the executive director of Create Your Dreams. She joined On Second Thought to describe the program and its approach of "extreme mentoring" for its students. Tykeria Tisinger, a graduate of the CYD program, also joined the conversation to elaborate on how Create Your Dreams impacted her own life.

 

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Create Your Dreams provides support, mentoring and resources for students who come from Atlanta's Westside. Most of the families participating in the program are living at or below the poverty line.

Create Your Dreams provides support, mentoring and resources for students who come from Atlanta's Westside. Most of the families participating in the program are living at or below the poverty line.

Executive Director Kim Dennis says relationships are key to the long-term mentoring that Create Your Dreams provides.

Executive Director Kim Dennis says relationships are key to the long-term mentoring that Create Your Dreams provides.

Create Your Dreams aims to develop students' experiences and broaden their horizons, allowing them to craft their own paths in life.

Create Your Dreams aims to develop students' experiences and broaden their horizons, allowing them to craft their own paths in life.

Tags: Westside  youth development  Create Your Dreams  after school programs  Mentorship programs  mentorship  poverty  Mentor  graduation  generational poverty