info@kdafoundation.org

Keeping Dreams Alive Foundation

"Change One Life, Change A Generation™"

Our History

A rich history, an evolving Foundation with an unwavering commitment to give back

  • Benjamin Hanks, President, a product of Overtown, Miami-graduated from University of Florida (Spring, 1995).  Played three years in the NFL and is an icon and community leader of Overtown.  Hanks continues to coach football at Booker T. Washington High School and work as a Director for Miami Parks & Rec. and KDA.

  • KDA- created and established on July 5, 2001.

  • KDA-organization and structure was created from Ben’s educational and athletic experiences he developed as a successful student-athlete throughout high school and beyond.

  • Hanks had an amazing team of support: his parents, role models, teachers and coaches all who stressed learning strategies such as being an accountable student-athlete, who demonstrates effective organizational and time management skills, off season training strategies, test taking strategies, character education and utilizing tutorial services.

  • These same learning strategies had to be incorporated as instructional tools for community service learning.

  • All youth who participate in any aspect of Keeping Dreams Alive Foundation, Inc. could obtain or improve these skills with assistance from our educators, community leaders and sponsors in a cool, hip-hop atmosphere where learning is fun.

  • Patrick Lowe-Founder and Director of Education

  • Patrick Lowe is a product of Broward County Schools where he graduated from Dillard High School in 1993 as an All-American Scholar Athlete. After competing for a high school 6A State Championship, he earned a full athletic scholarship to the University of Florida. As the first Dillard Panther to earn a scholarship to UF, he went on to achieve several SEC Championships and one National Championship in 1996. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration in 1998 and came back to Fort Lauderdale as a high school math teacher, coach, and community leader. In 2003, he earned a Masters in Educational Leadership at the Union Institute & University, North Miami, FL. He is now an Assistant Principal in Broward County Public Schools system.

  • Patrick Lowe connected with the KDA Foundation™ through UF Teammate, Ben Hanks in 2001. Hanks partnered up with Lowe’s S.M.A.R.T. PROGRAMS™ to incorporate FREE academic and awareness programs for parents, students, coaches, and school board/city officials.

2001-2003

  • It started out as a company that generally provided extra curricular camps only. In 2001, the All Star Youth Clinic was established for at risk teens of Overtown, Miami. The clinic included football/basketball approaches and strategies as an athlete, along with donations from the City of Miami (Miami Love Project). More football and basketball clinics were provided throughout the next two years with support from the Parks & Recreation of Miami. Gift bags with prizes from NFL athletes/teams were continuously donated with each camp. (Ike Hillard-New York Giants, Fred Taylor-Jacksonville Jaguars, Javon Kearse- Tennessee Titans, Dwayne Starks- Baltimore Ravens, Jaquez Green, Reidel Anthony-Tampa Bay Bucs, etc.) In addition to the athletic approaches/strategies, the importance of character education and conditioning/safety tips were implemented often.

  • The extra curricular camps focused on athletic training techniques and off season training tips. We only collaborated with two organizations (Miami Love Project & Parks/Recreation of Miami). Our camps had good results and outcomes, but we agreed that our camps focused on too many athletic trends and issues, and not enough academic (educational) & career development trends and issues.

  • The board decided to search for more organizations with activities and programs that relate to school, athletics, and career development.

2004

  • Keeping Dreams Alive Foundation, Inc. did not provide any community service learning programs this year due to personal situations, lack of sponsors, and no headquarter facility. Our Federal documents were update and filed by the State of Florida.

2005

  • Keeping Dreams Alive Foundation, Inc. decided to target Dade, Broward, & Palm Beach County with learning programs that focused on schools, athletes, and career development. Our ultimate goal is to partner up with more community leaders/organizations, identify a headquarter facility, and provide more awareness programs with Academic & Extracurricular Camps.

2006 & Forward

New Partnerships:

  1. S.M.A.R.T. Programs – [Academic/Extra Curricular Camps - coordinator, lesson plans, instructional strategies, staff (tutors/coaches), documentation strategies, etc.] (FCAT/SAT Prep Workshops, Critical Thinking/Leadership Strategies, College Bound Activities, Career Development, Financial Planning, Football Camps w/ Academic Notebooks)

    Recent Projects during this Period

    1. Rising Stars Football Camp (Deerfield Middle Athletic Complex, Spring 2005) – Sponsors (Broward County Schools, Deerfield Parks & Recreation)

    1. (3-Day) “New” SAT Prep Workshop (Northeast High, Flanagan High, Urban League of  Broward County, Spring 2005) – Instructional Strategies, Staff, Materials

    1. All Star Football Camp (Gibson Park – Overtown, Miami, Summer 2005) – (Academic Notebooks) Sponsors (Tim Sain-Tampa Bay Bucs, Denver Broncos-Nick Ferguson, Reebok-head/wristbands)

    1. Rising Stars Football Camp (Flanagan High School, Summer 2005) –  (Coordinator/Notebooks/ Competition for Prizes) Sponsors (Keeping Dreams Alive, Inc. – Gift Bags w/ NFL donations, Broward County Schools)

    1. Basketball/Football Clinics (Gibson Park – Overtown, Miami, Summer 2005) Parks &  Recreation of Miami

    1. Sports Training Clinic (Northeast High-Broward, Atlantic High-Delray, Spanish River- Boca, Booker T. Washington-Miami, Suncoast High-Palm Beach) Extreme Performance Enhancement, Inc. (coordinator, staff, instructional strategies, equipment)

    1. (3-Day) SAT Prep Workshop (Deerfield High-Broward, Booker T. Washington-Miami, Atlantic High-Delray) Lowe Enterprises (Instructional Strategies, Staff, Materials)

    • In 2005, KDA provided more effective community service learning programs specifically for schools and communities. Our partnership with professional educational programs has given us more opportunities to provide academic awareness and career development activities for college bound students. So far, we have had a 100% positive feedback from all staff, participants, and the communities through surveys, reflections, and questionnaires. Each project met all of the objectives, started and ended on time, and made effective learning gains.

    • 2006- 2010, we continued to target at risk teens, college bound student-athletes, and low to moderate income families. In Fall 2006, we targeted two high schools athletic programs to implement our Academic & Extracurricular Camps and incorporate partnerships programs with professional athletes, entertainers, veteran educators, and community leaders. Head coaches in Dade and Broward counties allowed us to house our educational and leadership programs at their schools for the year, although for now we will continue to implement projects at specific schools sites and parks in urban communities. Our ultimate goal is to have a home facility (Dade or Broward) with classrooms for instructional strategies, a computer lab for technology awareness activities, a recreation center (games, movie room, gym), and indoor/outdoor field set ups for Sports Training & Extra Curricular Camps.

    • 2009- 2010, we introduced our free academic mentoring programs to the Knox County (Knoxville, TN) & Blount County (Alcoa/Maryville, TN) area schools.
    • 2011-Present, in our earliest stages of our newest project ‘playing the recruiting game™’ we implemented our free academic mentoring program to local high school athletic departments to their football players with Saturday morning mentoring sessions throughout the school year in Broward and Dade Counties.
    • 2011-Present, we partnered up with the BCAA (Broward County Athletic Association) during their free summer camps to provide free food/drinks for the 300+ participants along with providing our free academic mentoring program to the camp participants during the 1 week program.
    • 2012-Present, we partnered with the University of Miami football team (Deserve Victory Tour) and ran a series of free summer camps in urban communities throughout Dade & Broward Counties.
    • 2012-Present, we partnered with NCRA Sports Network™  in February of each year to hold the free ‘Senior College Showcase™’ combine for high school senior football players that had not yet received offers to attend a college and/or university.  We also partnered with HSPN Sports™ to broadcast the event live.
    • 2013-Present, we partnered with the ELITE 7v7 NATIONAL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION™ in June & July to hold the first ever free high school 7v7 football™ tournament in South Florida for high schools from Dade & Broward Counties.  We also partnered with HSPN Sports™ to broadcast the event live.
    • 2013, In October Director of Female Sports, Shelly Solomon, put on the 1st ANNUAL KDA JUNIOR GIRLS TENNIS TOURNAMENT for free which hosted 22 urban girls from Dade & Broward Counties. We also partnered with HSPN Sports™ to broadcast the event live.
    • 2013, Vic Robinson (Player Development) organized an event with Jordan Jefferson (LSU Quarterback) partnered with KDA and we put on the 1st ANNUAL JORDAN JEFFERSON SHOOTOUT FOR EDUCATION™ (a round robin basketball tournament that Jordan participated in) on the campus of LSU in Baton Rouge, LA.  Jordan went to 3 local high schools in the Baton Rouge area and introduced the student athletes to the KDA Academic Mentoring Programs™.  Proceeds from the benefit went directly to the Arlington Preparatory Academy.
    • 2014, we partnered in February with Booker T Washington (Overtown, Miami), Howard Blum, broadcast department for the Academy Explosion event with Ryan Stoutt (Director of Broadcasting) bringing in the broadcast equipment from HSPN Sports™ to allow the students from the broadcast class do a broadcast of the event from their booth.
    • 2014, we partnered in February with Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland, FL) DECA team as judges (Glenn Stoutt & Shelly Solomon) on a judges panel to prepare the DECA team for the State finals being held in Tallahassee, Florida.
    • 2014, March – Shelly Solomon volunteered her day on behalf of the foundation at the Millennium Middle School (Coral Springs, FL) career day empowering the kids.
    • 2014, we partnered in March & April with Flanagan High School (Pembroke Pines, FL), Cooper City High School (Cooper City, FL) and Piper High School (Sunrise, FL) along with Playing the Recruiting Game™ to introduce to their student athletes for free the ‘PTRG Academy™’ learning management system website.
    • 2016-Present,  we partnered with CozArts Entertainment™.  CozArts Entertainment is, by design, a small company on a mission to fuse entertainment and education to create opportunities for artists, communities and the world at large.  Through their work they will Develop exciting movies and projects, Support upcoming artists, Create jobs in the entertainment industry and make education exciting for people of all ages.
    • 2016-Present, we partnered with “CozArts Dream Academy”, which integrates arts-based learning strategies that enhance the early childhood minds as well as curriculum.  Art-based teaching methods, taps into children’s innate desire for active, multi-sensory learning.  Children literally embody concepts by acting, singing, dancing, and engage their imagination through story dramatization and role play.
    • 2017-Present, our media partner HSPN Sports™ launches HSPN West™ with Regional Correspondent David Hill kicking off with the 2017 football season. David's first camp was held in Okinawa, Japan at Kubasaki High School introducing over 50 student athletes that parents are currently serving our military on the local military base to the PTRG Academy™. David then provided full coverage to our participating students and student athletes from our newest partner schools in Southern California and Nevada. David's coverage included over 1300 student athletes at Bishop Gorman (NV), Oaks Christian High School (CA), Apple Valley High School (CA), Orange County High School (CA), Servite High School (CA), Etiwanda High School (CA), Chino Hills High School (CA), Santa Ana High School (CA), Mission Viejo High School (CA), Rio Hondo High School (CA), Valencia High School (CA), Silver High School (CA) and Strathmore High School (CA). HSPN Sports™ HSPN South™ partnered with Western High School, Davie, Florida and Coach Adam Ratkevich along with student interns from the entire media and journalism department to cover the Wildcats football team home games and continuing with their other sports.
    • 2017, one of the defining moments of 2017 was the return of one of our former student athletes from Boyd H Anderson High School and Western Kentucky University (on a full football scholarship), Derrell Young Jr., that came back to give back and join our team. Derrell is one of the first groups of student athletes to go through our KDA Platforms (back in 2013) that was provided to the Cobras football program at Boyd H Anderson High School. It brings us great joy to have Derrell Young come back and join our team.
    • 2017, our team member Erica Lane was invited to and visited Purdue University and Trine University to show them our STEALTH Rating™ Platform. The meeting provided our team with the necessary information that they are looking for to implement the platform with a few minor additions as well as a the development of our brand new student athlete assessment survey. Thanks to Purdue for the valuable input and for being the first University to show interest in one of our programs.
    • 2017-Present, the future is very bright for our students and student athletes across the nation as we expand our KDA Programs™ into California, Nevada, Utah, Washington State and Oregon.
    • 2018, during the summer of 2018 the foundation began it's endeavour of creating/structuring a KDA Chapter™ model that could be duplicated across the nation by having member Glenn Stoutt physically visit and stay for an extended periods of time in Ft. Pierce, Ave Maria and Immokalee, Florida during its pilot program. The work began by identifying the local community influencers and the schools leadership and high school coaches. It proceeded by identifying, assessing and evaluating the student athletes, sharing that data with the coach to make them aware of what their student athletes strengths and weakness were and how to implement programs to address and strengthen the weaknesses. It was followed by introducing them to our KDA Platforms™, specifically the educational online program PTRG Academy™, the online objective rating & ranking program STEALTH Rating™, the program that gives national exposure and promotes programs and student athletes HSPN Sports™.  Finally providing KDA Scholarships™ by enrolling the qualified student athletes (identified by our KDA evaluation and assessment process) into the PTRG Academy™ educational online program. Then working with those coaches and student athletes to mentor them as they proceeded through the program(s). As they proceeded through the programs, and seeing the results, it enabled Glenn Stoutt to show the leadership how having a local KDA Chapter™ in their community would have an immediate positive impact on their students, student athletes and schools and how that positive encouragement would flow over into their communities.
    • 2019-Present, Partnered with Mayor Scott Brook, Coral Springs, Florida, to form the new high school group Project Leadership. A youth group organization that mission was giving back to the community as they learned and developed leadership skills. Many of the seniors were Valedictorians from the local high school. They had fundraisers for the Veterans Administration, book drives for the underprivileged as well as feeding the homeless. Many of the seniors have earned scholarships to prestigious colleges around the US.
    • 2019 - CozArts Entertainment™ - Film & Arts - True Documentary - 'Ball of Confusion' directed by Cylk Cozart
    • 2020 - Covid
    • 2021 - KDA Aviation - Introducing our KDA Kids to the world of aviation and all of its' ancillary businesses that support the aviation industry. Joined by local CFI, CFII, Avionics, AP Mech., FAA Examiner and local Airline Pilots, Commercial Pilots and Single/Twin Engine Pilots that are dedicated to our kids.
    • 2021 - CozArts Entertainment™ - Film & Arts - True Documentary - 'Inherit the Land' directed by Cylk Cozart which premiered on location in Mount, GA

    Budgeting Strategies

    1. Include a sponsorship budget for limited fees for urban communities.

    2. High Quality Budget for sponsors/grants (Fully paid camp fees, Gift Bags, Partnership Programs, Community Activities (Awareness Festivals), awards, scholarships, etc.)
    3. Start-Up Costs (Facility Rentals, Insurance, & Operational Materials )

    Adding Leadership

    • 2003- Glenn Stoutt III (Director of Operations)

    • 2007- Eric Hickson (Director of Athletics)

    • 2010- Cylk Cozart (Director of Entertainment/Education) , Glenn Stoutt IV (Player Relations)

    • 2013- Ryan Stoutt (Director of Broadcasting), Bob Webster (High School Liaison), Antonio Robinson (Chaplain/Player Development), Elizabeth Lavulo (Social Media), Tanto Irie (Events Planning), Erin Currin (Director of Accounting), Shelly Solomon (Legal Counsel/Director of Female Sports & Social Issues/ Anti Bullying) , Erica Lane (Director of Business System & Web Development), Jasmine VanDyke (Director of Dance)

    • 2016- Warren Sapp (Chief Advisor/Co Founder Warren Sapp's STEALTH Camp Series) for the summer of 2016
    • 2017 - David Hill (West Regional Director/PTRG Academy™) (West Regional Correspondent HSPN WEST™)
    • 2017 - Derrell Young Jr. (Student Athlete Services/PTRG Academy™) (HSPN SOUTH™ Regional Correspondent)

    New Business Fulfillment Companies (that are committed to supporting the vision, mission and endeavours of the foundation)

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