Aventura City of Excellence School
Aventura, FL

The seventh grade students at Aventura City of Excellence School (ACES) made 182 Dream Stars. Each student made two stars – one with a goal for themselves and one with a dream to make our world a better place. Students at ACES are encouraged not only to dream, but also to live by the Living Values: peace, respect, love, tolerance, honesty, humility, cooperation, happiness, responsibility, simplicity, and unity. Writes principal Julie Alm, "We hope that all your dreams for yourselves and our world will be encouraged through our link in the Dream Chain and hope that our stars will inspire others to dream as well."

Chumuckla Elementary School
Jay, FL

When author and educator Susan Bosak walked into Chumuckla Elementary School, the entire cafeteria had been transformed into an amazing Dream Space! There were sparkling lights and shimmering black fabric covering all the walls, and hanging yellow stars on the walls and ceiling to create a beautiful environment for her presentations to the pre-K to grade 6 students. Chumuckla Elementary is located in a rural part of Florida, 30 miles east of Pensacola and 30 miles south of the Alabama line. All 275 students created Dream Stars. Since the school has been adopted by a local Native American tribe, the principal, Dr. Karen Barber, handcrafted a large dream catcher with real feathers and wove the center so that students could fill it with their Dream Stars. Writes Reading Coach Rachel Musser on behalf of the teachers and students, "We have joined a new club, the Club of Dreamers, and our wish is that all of our dreams will color your world in shades of brightness to make your lives and the lives of others better."

Ross Elementary School
Pittsburgh, PA

In response to Susan Bosak's book Dream, the students at Ross Elementary are participating in a year-long reading and writing project. Each student is creating their own "Dream Journal" to imagine their own dreams and illustrate their hopes for the future. The grade 3-6 students made 350 Dream Stars with dreams and wishes for their own future, their family, and our world. The dreams are starting points for discussion and writing throughout the school year. "We are searching for ways to create a more hopeful and wonder-filled world." The students and teachers at Ross Elementary were thrilled to receive the dream catcher from Chumuckla Elementary – especially since Ross Elementary uses a Native American in full headdress as an emblem at their school.

Green Valley Elementary School
Parma, OH

The kindergarten to grade 6 students at Green Valley Elementary made 389 stars with their dreams and goals. Green Valley Elementary is located in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Author and educator Susan Bosak's visit was actually a dream fulfilled by PTA President Marie Laheta, who had met Susan at the national PTA convention. When Susan announced that Green Valley Elementary was receiving a Dream Star package from Ross Elementary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, there was a surprising coincidence – one of the teachers at Green Valley Elementary had attended Ross Elementary as a child and one of the teachers who still teaches at Ross Elementary inspired the young girl to become a teacher when she got older.

Spitzee Elementary School
High River, AB

With a school motto of "we all belong," Spitzee Elementary School is located about 45 minutes south of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Author and educator Susan Bosak was in Calgary to launch the Dream Exhibit, featuring all the original artwork created for Dream, at Glenbow Museum and was able to visit a few schools in the area. The 29 staff and 288 students welcomed Susan and were excited to present their Dream Star package along with a special poem written by principal Marina Schoon. In part it read, "At Spitzee School we're dreaming/Dreaming about being a special place where we all belong and respect each other./At Spitzee School we're dreaming/Dreaming about making a difference at home and abroad…/And now our dreams will travel in this special box with our wishes and goals./We hope you too will catch the star/That will begin to take YOUR dreams afar."

Sunalta School
Calgary, AB

Students from kindergarten to grade 6 created 250 Dream Stars to present to Susan Bosak as part of her visit to Sunalta School. Principal Chris Aylesworth said he had been a Dreamer all his life, and that one of his dreams was to make his school a place that encouraged students to become all they could be with rich experiences like author visits and opportunities to share with students at other schools. Teacher Doug Noakes explains, "we believe students learn by doing and that their learning and understanding creates our future. Thinking about dreams and goals is an important part of this process." As students share their personal goals, Doug Noakes encourages everyone to think about how they can help someone reach their goals. "By thinking this way, we help each other to make our dreams come true."

Bryantville Elementary School Pembroke, MA

Susan Bosak
had a surprise connection to Principal Cathy MacLeod when they discovered both had been born in Winnipeg, Canada! Bryantville Elementary, located just south of Boston, contributed approximately 300 Dream Stars to the Dream Chain. After Susan presented to kindergarten to grade 6 students, and did a teacher workshop at the school, she participated in Bryantville's Literacy Night, signing both Dream and Something to Remember Me By books for students and parents. Say the Dreamers at Bryantville, "We imagine that some of our dreams may be the same dreams that you wish for in your lives and in our world. Our wish for you is that all your hopes and dreams come true. Remember to always dream, because each Dreamer can make our world a better place."

Columbus Elementary School Thornwood, NY

2007 is a special year for Columbus Elementary, located 45 minutes north of New York City. They are celebrating their 50th birthday! Their dreams began in 1957 and continue on today in the hearts and minds of Columbus families. To help celebrate, Susan Bosak was invited to a special luncheon with a class of grade 3 students. After enjoying pasta, sandwiches, salad, and a dream cake and star cookies, Susan answered questions from the students and got to know them. Then it was on to a huge assembly in the school gym for all the grade
3-5 students. They presented Susan with 365 beautiful Dream Stars lovingly created with the help of art teacher Lauralee Chambers. "With every birthday comes the making of wishes. We have closed our eyes tight, blown out our candles and sent into the wind these Dream Stars with our wishes for you to treasure. The children at Columbus Elementary pass on the gift of their words and their creative spirit. We hope that you always grow in wonder and never give up on your dreams. Shine like the stars you are, be the bright light of our future, and express your true self in all that you do."

Garrettford Elementary School
Drexel Hill, PA

Located near Philadelphia, Garrettford Elementary is a grand old school nearly 100 years old. Students from grades 1-5 contributed 535 Dream Stars in a replica of the Dream Chest illustrated in Dream. Principal Wayne McAllister had his arm in a sling after recent shoulder surgery, but that didn't stop him from participating enthusiastically in Susan Bosak's presentations. The school's year-long theme is "Dream to Become" and Wayne McAllister has been encouraging student dreams at the school for 25 years. He explains, "Garrettford is 'A Great Place to Grow.' We want all children to be surrounded by wonderful families and school staff who will support them and guide them to become wonderful adults so that this world will be 'a great place to grow' for us all."

MaST Community Charter School Philadelphia, PA

Named National Charter School of the Year, the Math, Science and Technology (MaST) Community Charter School is
a dynamic environment of dedicated staff and enthusiastic students. The school has a waiting list of children from
the greater Philadelphia area. Susan Bosak was treated to a
star-themed lunch – star chicken noodle soup, star sandwiches, star chocolates, and moon pies for dessert – and had a chance to meet a student representative from each grade in this K-12 school. 570 students in grades 2-8 created Dream Stars and presented them to Susan in a handpainted wooden Dream box. Tracy West-Bernstein is the Enrichment Coordinator at MaST and writes, "Nine years ago, a group of teachers, parents, and students shared a dream. They dreamt of a school where teachers could do what was best for all students, a place where children were excited to come each day to learn, and a place where parents always felt welcomed and involved. That dream has become our place: MaST Community Charter School. Chasing the dream of a K-12 school was not an easy task. We started out in a shopping mall and rented spaces at local synagogues. We were in five different locations, but somehow our dream held us together. We finally found a building where we could all fit snuggly. Over the next few years, we conquered one obstacle after another to build a new building. At MaST we believe that it takes a team to make a dream. Our dream will never die as long as we have dedicated teachers and administrators, enthusiastic students, and caring parents. And so, our challenge to you is to find a dream of your own – pursue it, nurture it, and never let it die. No matter where you live or what you look like, people all over the world dream about the same things. What a wonderful place the world would be if we could all come together with our shared dreams and make them a reality. We did it at MaST! Can you?"

Lescon Elementary School
Toronto, ON

Kindergarten to grade 6 students created 300 Dream Stars to present to Susan Bosak as part of her visit to Lescon Elementary School in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Principal Jan Siegel writes, "In our Dream Stars you'll find our personalities, ranging from humorous to serious with much creativity in between. You'll find hopes and dreams for individuals, as well as for groups of people at a more global level. You can also see our individual styles through our decorative approach to the various stars. This is a wonderful way for children from different places to get acquainted. Perhaps someday we will all get to meet and celebrate our uniqueness!"

Lambton-Kingsway School
Toronto, ON

Susan Bosak visited this junior middle school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada thanks to an invitation from Parent Council member Jane Taylor who had seen her speak to a Girl Guide group. Students from grades 1-8 contributed 300 Dream Stars. "It is our wish that all students everywhere are enabled to reach high levels of both personal achievement and satisfaction. We dream of enriched academic environments that are accessible to all. We hope that your school is full of wonderful teachers and, more importantly, that your students are rich in their compassion for others, strong in their commitment to learning, and that they have a passion for life."

Poplar Bank Public School
Newmarket, ON

Susan Bosak was lucky enough to spend two days at Poplar Bank school in Newmarket, ON, Canada, north of Toronto. One day was spent with teachers in a literacy and goal-setting workshop, and the other was spent with students from grades 1-8. Poplar Bank contributed 650 Dream Stars in a bag decorated with the names of all the countries of origin of the diverse student body. Not only are they collecting the dreams and goals of their students, but they've also invited parents to send the school the dreams they have for their children. Each morning, some of the dreams are shared during the announcements to encourage and inspire both staff and students. Vice Principal Kim Wagner says the wish of their school for others is: "Believe in the richness of cultural diversity, do the right thing by fostering positive relationships with each other and by celebrating the differences and similarities, and think of the role each person plays in fostering inclusion in an ever-expanding global community. Engaging and celebrating our diversity will bring us all closer together."

École Fairview School
Calgary, AB

Back in Calgary by popular request from local schools (many had visited the Dream Exhibit at Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) and to do a keynote at the Calgary Teachers' Convention,
Susan Bosak's first stop was École Fairview School, a French immersion middle school. Grade 5, 6, and 7 students contributed 240 Dream Stars. Says teacher Dawna Jean Wiens who helped organize the visit, "As each Dreamer is unique, each dream is unique. Our wish is that we will all create a better world through our dreaming and through pursuing our dreams."

St. Clare School
Calgary, AB

As part of the kick-off for their reading fundraiser two years ago, St. Clare School used the Dream book to create a theme and focus for their reading. Principal Joe Piechotta created a backdrop for his reading corner. He spent time reading to each of the classes and talking about the importance of dreams. The school showcases were filled with illustrations from Dream, as well as student art and written work. Students and staff talked about how wonderful it would be to meet the author – and so they invited Susan Bosak for a visit when they found out she would be coming to Calgary. 560 kindergarten to grade 6 students, as well as school staff, participated in an exciting journey into the world of dreams and wishes, even learning about such famous contemporary Dreamers as Colonel Sanders and Walt Disney. "Interesting how things in our life happen for a reason. We are so delighted to now be a part of the Dream Chain."

Escuela Canyon Meadows School
Calgary, AB

Canyon Meadows is a Spanish bilingual school. Kindergarten to grade 6 students contributed 480 Dream Stars. Music teacher Kathy Sorensen helped organize Susan Bosak's visit and worked with students on a special dream-themed song they sang after Susan's presentation. Then, everyone joined in singing the school spirit song. Here are some of the lyrics: "Escuela Canyon Meadows, it's the best school you can see/Through caring, sharing, learning, that's great for you and me./We'll dream our dreams together, just watch us as we grow/In Spanish or in English, it's the best place we all know!"

Stanley Jones Elementary School
Calgary, AB

Stanley Jones School in Calgary has over 90 years of history in the community.
It offers three different programs:
Deaf and Hard
of Hearing, Community, and Alice Jamieson Academy for Girls. 338 kindergarten to grade 9 students