Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) and An Achievable Dream (AAD) have expanded their partnership with the opening of a new addition at Lynnhaven Middle School. The 25,000-square-foot addition is the home to the Lynnhaven AAD High School Program. The program currently services ninth through 11th graders and will expand to 12th grade next year.

A dedication ceremony will be held for invited guests and the news media on Nov. 15 at 1250 Bayne Drive in Virginia Beach. Tours begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by a ceremony at 11 a.m.

“VBCPS is extremely proud of our longstanding partnership with An Achievable Dream. This partnership supports four of the six goals of Compass to 2025: Educational Excellence, Student Well-Being, Student Ownership of Learning, and Mutually Supportive Partnerships. Our Dreamers benefit from extended programming and educational opportunities beyond the school day to supplement the outstanding learning that occurs each day in all of our schools,” said VBCPS Acting Superintendent Dr. Donald Robertson Jr. “We look forward to our first seniors graduating from the program and having a positive impact on our community and our world.”

An Achievable Dream is a nonprofit organization that develops independent, productive citizens through a Social, Academic, and Moral Education (SAME®) curriculum. Dedicated to the belief that all children can learn and succeed, AAD co-operates with the goal of reaching students who may not otherwise have equitable access to opportunities and resources and works to level the playing field for students who face socioeconomic or other challenges.

“From the beginning, Virginia Beach City Public Schools, the City of Virginia Beach, and the community have been a champion for our Dreamers. This new space provides our high school students with the perfect environment to learn, grow, and thrive and is a true testament to our partnership,” said An Achievable Dream’s President & CEO, Dr. Lee Vreeland.

This facility was designed by Dills Architects. It features a great deal of collaborative space and natural light that complements An Achievable Dream’s holistic approach to education. The contemporary learning environments and furnishings are designed to allow for active, hands-on, project-based learning grouped around a learning commons, media center and schola. During the design process, students provided input that informed the building’s design.

“The natural lighting, architecture, and people in the new high school make my day better the moment I enter the building,” said 11th grader Mahkala Twine. “I’ve never been happier and more welcomed than I am at AAD.”

AAD’s partnership with Virginia Beach City Public Schools started in 2014 with Seatack Elementary, An Achievable Dream Academy, which now serves kindergarten to 6th grade. The program expanded to Lynnhaven Middle School in 2018 and has grown one grade level per year. The first class of Dreamers will graduate from An Achievable Dream Middle and High School in 2025.

For more information, visit achievabledream.org.