Susie Kay - Making Dreams Come True for Washington, D.C. Inner-city Youth

Susie Kay has been scoring three-pointer baskets with inner-city students of the Washington, D.C., area since 1996 and hundreds of students have benefited. As founder of the Hoop Dreams Scholarship Foundation, Ms. Kay has formed a lasting partnership between community, businesses and students by matching students with mentors. What once seemed like a faded dream for many students in Washington, D.C. has now become a reality. Many of them are the first in their families to attend college.

The mission of Hoop Dreams is to empower and to give hope to many of the inner-city youth of the Washington, D.C. area, offering opportunities to build a solid foundation for life. Skills development, resources, and mentorships are all part of the foundation that supports academic achievements, healthy development and success. However, Hoop Dreams is about much more than scholarships. It’s about family. The volunteers, mentors and staff have all formed a tight bond with the students.