This year, Sioux Falls New Technology High School (SFNTH) is challenging students and staff to dream big and share their dreams with each other, the Sioux Falls Community and other New Tech Schools across the United States.
The scope of the DREAM BIG PROGRAM is to teach skills that inspire students to plan for successful careers and fulfilling lives. Noted Arc of Dreams volunteer, Paul Schiller, who developed the program in conjunction with Ellwein explained the DREAM BIG PROGRAM will be part of the school curriculum.
“This is an opportunity to challenge students to hope and to dream. We are excited for the opportunity to gather business, parents, staff and students into one community,” said Schiller.
The plan is to have Dream Big concepts taught in the classroom and develop those concepts into concrete ideals. These ideals will evolve into “actionable” tools for the students in order to achieve their dreams. Monthly student sessions will be conducted to celebrate each student’s progress. Parents will be invited in the program to support their child’s quest.
SFNTH will be holding Dream Big days once a month tied to Leadership and College and Career Readiness courses, where all staff and students wear Dream Big t-shirts. Working through the Chamber of Commerce, the Young Professionals Network in Sioux Falls will meet monthly on the Dream Big days to mentor and share with students. 
Dream Big nights for parents will be held to talk about any barriers they see standing in the way of their students reaching/following their dreams. We hope to have business partners that can help reduce these barriers by setting up scholarship funds and internships.We are holding our first Dream Big day this week on the 14th, the artist creating the Arc of Dreams will be at New Tech to kick off our Dream Big theme with the students.
The first step to following a dream is voicing it out loud! SFNTH social media campaign is called #Dare2dreamBIG! In the coming days, you will see SFNTH students sharing their big dreams and challenging others to share. Share your written dream or share a short video on social media. If you are a Twitter fan – be sure to include the handle @Dare2dreamBIG and include the hashtag as well. Check SFNTH out on Twitter, Facebook Instagram and snapchat–@sfnewtechhigh!
Follow the school and stay tuned for updates to this blog as the project rolls out!
