I Have A Dream
MLK DAY ACTIVITIES
It’s been 51 years since MLK Jr. delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech. The world needs us now more than ever. This MLK Day or any day, let’s team up to make his vision a reality. Let’s collaborate to elevate student voices and deepen connections, accelerate learning, and close gaps.
Help Students SOAR!™
Join in to receive our movement updates and invites for the optional FREE Zoom training for you teams.
On social media? Please spread the word about the Realizing Dreams movement. Download and Share PDF Flyer via print, email, and online.
Together, let’s…
Make Kids Happy. Parents Proud.™
Watch the video. Hear this for yourself… what he was thinking and most of all how he felt after signing his personal My Declaration of Independence™. “I feel really, really happy, joyful, and relieved.” I asked, ‘Why relieved?’ The student replied, “Because, I’ve always wanted to sign something that was pretty important. It’s my first time signing something that’s like the Declaration of Independence and I feel really relieved I have done that.”
At Realizing Dreams, in minutes, not months™ we train teachers, school counselors, PTA leaders, coaches, youth development professionals, and student leaders on how to lead four (4) empowering MLK Day activities. Students love the highly interactive turn-and-talk conversations that help you deepen connections and understand what is going on in their world. The inspired conversations motivate young people to go beyond just finding themselves- to making themsleves where they want to take action in their lives, including reading more, learning more, and leading more. You quickly see how to link learning to interests and future career aspirations to help your students SOAR!™
The Realizing Dreams My Declaration of Independence™ aligns with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and serves as a powerful statement of human rights and freedom, embodying a cornerstone of American identity and values. Together, through our collective impact, we can, and we will synchronize the energy and experience of generations™ and transform lives in education and health™. In minutes, not months™.
Learn more how we help you elevate voices and unlock student potential.
Thank you for joining in and being the difference in this thing we call life. ~ Jim Cantoni, Founder
How Does It Work?
The 4 Steps and Empowering, Learner-Centered Activities to Open Communication
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I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration of Independence 500 x 500 – 1
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Let’s Help Students SOAR!
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Opening Communication. Developing relationships. Creating deeper connections that help students succeed I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 500
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Making a promise to graduate High School and prepare for college and:or career
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Making a promise to do the best in their lives Example Student Outcomes I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 500
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Dad’s and Daughter’s learning about each other. Go Beyond Family Engagement to Family Empowerment™ I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 500
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Critically thinking about his Game Plan for a Successful future
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10 Making a promise to inspire other students too I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 500.jpg
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Inspiring Grandmother’s and her kindergarten twins too I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 500
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Dream Tag™
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Step 2: The BIG Question Activity
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The BIG Question Activity
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I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 5004
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My Declaration of Independence™
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Activity 4
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Optional Activity 5 I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 5006
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I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 5008-2
Get These I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities For Your Students
I Have a Dream MLK Day Activities: Frequently Asked Questions
What’s Included?
- Step-by-step instructions for engaging students in leading the activities.
- Optional Zoom trainings available. Contact us for updates and to join the session:
Who’s It For?
- Grades 5–12 (Note: Even students in Grades 1–4 have successfully completed these activities).
Duration:
- Plan for 45 minutes, with an optional 10 to 15 minute Measure Your Impact Activity.
Support:
- We’re here to support your student success efforts. Let us know how we can help inspire your students. Have questions or want the downloadable versions for larger engagements or school districts? You may save 30% to 50%. Contact Us
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Opening Communication. Developing relationships. Creating deeper connections that help students succeed I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 500
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Making a promise to graduate High School and prepare for college and:or career
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Making a promise to do the best in their lives Example Student Outcomes I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 500
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Critically thinking about his Game Plan for a Successful future
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10 Making a promise to inspire other students too I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 500.jpg
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Inspiring Grandmother’s and her kindergarten twins too I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 500
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Dad’s and Daughter’s learning about each other. Go Beyond Family Engagement to Family Empowerment™ I Have A Dream MLK Day Activities My Declaration 500 x 500
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Let’s Help Student’s SOAR!
Cost:
- $10 per student (minimum of 25 students). $250 engages, equips, and empowers™ 25 students.
Want to inspire your child or students?
Get The Ultimate Student Gift
Give The Ultimate Student Gift Today
We Are ALL Tired of Hearing About
Learning Loss and Low Test Scores
All over the news we hear how our nation experienced declines in reading and math proficiency.
Could student motivation help solve this? We think so.
Let’s help kids move beyond finding themselves to making themselves.
Have you arrived and would like to give back? Consider Sponsoring Students.
Yes, Students Face Unprecedented Challenges
We all have seen and heard “IDK”. At times, students find it hard to share what is on their minds. We understand the pressures adults face and how difficult it can be to get kids to open up and tell us what they are really feeling and thinking.
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Shrugging their shoulders more often when pressed with a question
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Giving the “silent struggle” and not sharing challenges and problems they are facing
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Lacking direction, motivation, and can’t yet connect the dots to the bigger picture
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Making you feel less relevant in their lives and you not having the overall impact that you would like
Let’s face it, with digital world distractions, parents and educators find it harder to engage and connect with kids.
Give Your Students
an Author-Guided Journey
an Author-Guided Journey
Help a young person you care about build confidence through an author-guided journey where they take time to think about their future and create a personal “GPS”… Game Plan for a Success™.
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Three (3) 60-minute workshops with the author who gives you insight using:
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Award-winning family activities that help you meaningfully connect with your kids
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A free take-action journal that inspires your kids to reach for their potential
Give Your Grad The Ultimate Student Gift Today
More example outcomes like in our MLK Day Activities using our Take Action Journal activities 7 Steps for Empowering Youth: Self-Awareness Developing Grit and A Growth Mindset, by Jim Cantoni, Realizing Dreams Founder.
Set Up Your Kids for Success
Now, imagine, what if every young person knew their passion, purpose, and path to success?
Here’s How The Ultimate Student Gift Will Help Your Child Succeed
Learner and Student-Centered Activities. Using simple, purposeful, and open-ended reflective questions that inspires critical thinking about their lives The Ultimate Student Gift helps kids express themselves and bridge the generational divide to help you close the communication and achievement gap.
Students Learn How to Use their Imagination to Solve Problems Like Disney, Edison and Einstein. The authentic writing prompts give you insight how to increase kids’ excitement as curious learners. Students of all ages get jazzed when the learn how to use both sides of their brain to communicate, think critically, creatively, and use problem solving strategies to overcome obstacles in school and their lives.
Give Inspiration… Get Inspired™ with Ongoing Activities. The proactive and preventative learner-centered enrichment give kids a voice where you gain insight how to link learning with 52 ongoing activities that help you connect with what really matters to the young people you care about.
Now instead of shrugged shoulders and IDK, we get a smile, and an excited “I Do Know”.
Give The Ultimate Student Gift Today
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Critically Think About Their Future
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Set Goals and Get More Excited to Learn
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Are Happier and More Confident
Create Your GPS… Game Plan for a Successful Future™
As adults, we all know life goes quick! When do we ever stop time and really think about our future? Not enough, right? The Ultimate Student Gift helps the kids you care about do just that. Students will:
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Identify interests, strengths, and critically think about their future
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Support mental health and express what is going on inside their world
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See visible impact and feel empowered, usually
In Minutes… Not Months™
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Close Opportunity and Achievement Gaps
— A Large Urban School District Secondary School Educator
“What they got out of it is a clear road map to their success and it came from inside of them. It made it easier for me to get them focused on what they want to do in the future, like getting in to college and doing positive things in their life. It made it easier to make them change.”
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Give Students a Voice and Put Kids and Adults on the Same Page
— Fran Kennedy
Associate Director for Accreditation and School Improvement at New England Association of Schools and Colleges
2017 High School Principal of the Year“Jim Cantoni gives students a voice in life. He helps students reflect on their passion, discover purpose, and find their path. At the same time, he helps ‘synchronize generations’ and put students and adults on the same page about plans for their future.”
3 Easy Steps
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Choose Your Gift Package
Step 1
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Schedule Workshop
Step 2
(For calendar link, see your order confirmation email)
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Realize Kids’ Dreams
Step 3
Choose Your Gift Package
Give Hope for a Brighter Future
You’ll know what your kids are really thinking and they will feel pride in how they think and what they can accomplish!
“Jim Cantoni offers an innovative, motivational youth program. No other resorts are offering such a thing, and it would really be a great partnership to help provide motivation and encouragement for youth who are facing so many pressures these days. A program like what Jim offers can help kids make much better decisions and may actually save a kid’s life. How great to be a part of that!”
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Spark “aha” moments that can last a lifetime
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Increase engagement and excitement around learning
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Support mental health and well-being
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Increase achievement and student success
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who is The Ultimate Student Gift for?
For any student who you want to have authentic conversations with and create that connection to help them discover why they want to reach for their potential
Student leaders are particularly excited to learn strategies how to inspire, lead, and empower others.
Student athletes learn how and why to perform on and off the field.
Teachers, School Counselors, Parents, Grandparents, Family Engagement Liasons, Athletic Coaches, Tutors, Mentees and Mentors open dialogue showing an interest in students and spark the meaningful conversations that creates bonds and inspire all ages.
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How does The Ultimate Student Gift make a difference?
With The Ultimate Student Gift, you can get to know students and create that connection that makes a difference for the students in your life. Allow kids’ voices to be heard and you will let them know you care.
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How do I schedule my workshop and what days are they on?
In your order confirmation email, you will receive a link to schedule your workshop.
NOTE: You do need your workshop materials to participate, so please ensure you have received these.
Workshops are currently scheduled on Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s, and Thursday’s, except on national holidays.
You can choose which dates are best for you.
Current available times through June 30, 2023 are:
3:30 to 4:30 EST
6:30 to 7:30 EST
Contact us if you have questions or need other dates or times for:
- Your school district, classroom, after-school programs
- Homeschooling, Tutoring, Mentoring, etc
- Other groups in summer learning, extended learning times, summer camps, and family engagement events.
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How and when do I receive my workshop materials?
We ship your materials directly to you. We ship in 1 to 3 business days after your order to the shipping address in your order. Please allow 1 to 2 weeks (5 to 10 business days) to receive.
NOTE: You do need your workshop materials to participate, so please ensure you have received these when selecting your workshop dates.
You will receive an email tracking notification to the email you entered in your order.
Have questions or did not yet receive your materials? Contact Us.
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If I miss a workshop, can I join another group?
Yes. If you can, please emai us to let us know beforehand.
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My child is struggling. Is The Ultimate Student Gift right for them?
We have much success helping 90% or more of students including who are struggling to help them find themselves, lacking motivation to apply themselves, not confident to becoming confident.
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Who is Jim Cantoni?
Jim Cantoni is not the weatherman, Jim Cantoni is the founder of Realizing Dreams, Inc., and creator of The Ultimate Student Gift. Jim became an author who followed his heart and unknowingly learned he was a practitioner who creates and applies what the evidence-based research has found to help students bring out the best in themselves.
Extended Bio
Jim Cantoni was totally surprised in 8th grade when he received the School Citizenship Award and not so much getting the Class Chatterbox in his Senior year of High School. In college he received The Mildred K. Barrows Award, The Outstanding Student Award Scholarship for his answer to why he gives back and is involved in all of the student activities, “I like to help others”.
In work, Jim Cantoni was #1 in District, #3 in the country, President’s Club winner, and he earned The Malcolm Baldridge Leadership Through Quality Award for his role modeling the quality processes and principles.
As a former student leader and now a retired corporate executive turned entrepreneur as CEO of Creative Concepts & GivaGeta, Inc., who served small businesses to Wall Street clients, Jim became an author who followed his heart and unknowingly learned he was a practitioner who creates and applies what the evidence-based research has found to help students bring out the best in themselves.
In 1991, Jim received the Alumni of the Year award, in 2000 received a utility patent for Illuminated House Numbers, in 2011 eight (8) of his innovative self-reflection tools, books, games, and school and family engagement activities including The World’s Kindest Playing Cards™ earned The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval and are spreading smiles in nearly all 50 states and over 27 countries around the world. In 2018, Jim’s Alma Mater, gave him the Community Service Award recognizing his lifelong journey of giving back and helping others. Click here to learn more about Jim Cantoni and his creations that are making a positive difference in the lives of others.
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What is Realizing Dreams?
Realizing Dreams is “The Ultimate Student Gift”.
At Realizing Dreams, we are all about helping educators, parents, caregivers, mentors, tutors, and athletic coaches inspire kindergarten to college students to be the best they can be. We give our young people learner-centered tools and evidence-based strategies that help them discover why they want to succeed in school, work, life, and play.
Together, we help our young people discover why they want to learn more, read more, lead more, reach for their potential, give back, do more, and be more.
Together, we help make ours and our future generations hopes and dreams for a brighter future come true.
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Is this grounded in evidence-based or research-based?
Yes. We not only apply what the research has found, unknowingly, we have also created what the research has found to make a positive difference. Our evidence-based enrichment activities inspire potential, develop a sense of purpose, increase self-awareness, develop grit and a growth mindset to achieve academic goals as curious learners. The outcomes improve decision making and change attitudes and behaviors, we found with thousands of students and caring adults at times In Minutes, Not Months™.
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I want to help out, can I sponsor students?
Yes, and thank you for being the difference and joing in to help us make a difference. Click here to Sponsor students.
Like Jessica, a Latino teen who shared that before participating, she didn’t think she could be somebody, someday. We have many students who tell us they need our activities that make them feel and think like Jessica and can and will be somebody someday.
Give Teamwork… Get Results™. To leverage your gift, we give back and will match your gift and through our collective impact.
Together, we will help twice as many students create a personal GPS… Game Plan for Success™ where they will express what is in their hearts and on their minds and learn how to identify, set, and achieve their goals and realize their dreams and become who they are meant to be.
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I have kids younger than 10 years old, can they join in?
Yes, kids from ages 4+ actually participate with a 1:1 mentor at of course a different level, however they do get excited to learn about teamwork, trust, and set goals even at an earlier age. Some write on their own, otherwise the parent, grandparent caregiver, tutor, or mentor plays an important role to jot down what the child is feeling and thinking. Contact us to with any questions to schedule your class, play group, or birthday party.
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Looking for a side hustle? Or want to become an affiliate?
If you love what we do to help students succeed and are looking for a side hustle, or want to become an affiliate and refer others and help make more student dreams come true, click here.
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Have a question not answered here?
Please contact us and let us know your question and how we can help. If time sensitive or you want to talk to a human, please call 414.EMPOWER (414.367.6937)
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Students
Improve Decision Making
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Educators and Adults
Learn what motivates their students and children to want to apply themselves, learn more, read more, lead more, reach for their potential, give back, be more, and do more in school, work, life, and play.
