“Dream Center” to Teach Kids Academics and Sports

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Nonprofit Dubuque Dream Center is aiming to make a difference in the lives of students through a combination of academics and sports.

The nonprofit serves more than 90 area children, mostly from low-income families. Each day, Executive Director Robert Kimble and a team of volunteers greet, feed and help the students with homework, and coach them in basketball, baseball, boxing, dance and choir.

The center, which launched in September 2013, works to teach students character development and provide academic intervention. Participants are referred to the center by school officials, and there is a waiting list of 100 students.

The center hopes to expand over the next two years and partner with six Dubuque schools to serve 200 at-risk students in kindergarten through eighth grade.