During Give Local 757, a 24-hour fundraising event held May 5-6, 2015, An Achievable Dream raised more than $6,000 from 77 Donors; ranking #12 out of 160+ participating nonprofits. Held in conjunction with Give Local America and sponsored by the Peninsula, Suffolk and Southeast Virginia Community Foundations, the event encouraged online donations through the GiveLocal757.org website to registered nonprofits serving the Hampton Roads region. Donations were also made at the AAD office. The minimum donation was just $10, which attracted new and younger donors.

The funds will be used to support three members of An Achievable Dream’s award-winning En Pointe Dancers as they travel to New York City to attend a 2-week Summer Intensive Program with the Joffrey Ballet. The girls were chosen following a region-wide audition and were among the few accepted from a large group of dancers. During this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, they will attend classes taught by world renowned choreographers and master teachers, and will dance alongside members of the Joffrey Ballet in recitals. The cost of attending, including tuition, travel and housing, will be in excess of $10,000.

Additional funds will be used to support the entire dance troupe as they participate in regional and national competitions this summer and to supplement the cost of costumes, shoes, and equipment.

After several years of sponsoring the En Pointe Dancers as a school club, teachers Liza Smith and Janniece Haughton opened Dreams in Motion, a dance studio in downtown Newport News, to provide additional instruction and continuing dance classes for older students who have moved on to the middle and high school. Both teachers and two additional dance instructors volunteer their time, instructing dance classes nearly every evening and on Saturdays.

An Achievable Dream plans to participate in Give Local 757 in May 2016.