The HEART of DREAM: T Is for Trusted Friend

Mentees and mentors excited about DREAM.

In February, as we celebrate the HEART of DREAM, we’re reflecting on the relationships that sit at the very center of our work.

H is for Hope and Happiness.

E is for Enthusiasm and Energy.

A is for A Sense of Belonging.

R is for Relationship.

And today, T is for Trusted Friend.

If you want to understand what it means for DREAM to be a trusted friend to our DREAMers, there is no better example of a trusted friend in the making than DREAM’s Matching Ceremony — the moment when mentors and mentees officially begin their journey together.

A Ceremony Filled with Intention

Matching Ceremony is not something that happens quickly or by chance. It is thoughtful, collaborative, and deeply intentional.

As Mona Abdelghani, a program manager in the Upper Valley Region of Vermont explained, “We take matching very seriously. We gather input from both mentors and mentees about interests, connections, personalities, hobbies, and preferences.” 

Before matches are ever announced, mentors and mentees spend time getting to know one another in group settings. Through shared activities, conversations, and structured programming, staff observe connections, interests, and personalities. Mentors and mentees share their hobbies, goals, and preferences. Mentor Coordinators gather input, facilitate conversations, and work together to create strengths-based matches designed for long-term success.

In many sites, matches begin happening long before the ceremony so that trust and familiarity are already forming before the big reveal. Guided Mentoring Director Bruce Perlow describes it as a process that “truly happens organically,” with mentors discussing together who might be the best fit and often finding it “pretty evident and easy for the group to come to agreement.”

By the time the Matching Ceremony arrives, relationships have already started to take shape, and the ceremony is simply a celebration of that intention.

The Big Reveal

Each site brings its own creativity to the ceremony. Some mentors design crosswords filled with fun facts. Others create scavenger hunts, airport-style welcome signs, or even elaborate yarn mazes that mentees follow to find their match. There are handmade crafts, beaded bracelets, shared coloring pages, and DREAM T-shirts passed out to commemorate the day.

The common thread? Joy.

Mentees completing yarn maze.

“The ceremony sets the tone by beginning the relationship with celebration and joy,” Mona shares. “It communicates that this match is intentional, valued, and supported by a larger community.”

For mentees, the anticipation builds. There are crossed fingers and whispered guesses. When matches are revealed, rooms erupt with cheers. Sometimes there are hugs. Sometimes there are tears. Often, there are huge smiles.

“It’s a moment they’ve been anticipating,” another program manager reflected. “You can truly feel the energy in the room.”

For mentors, the moment carries weight. Joe Thompson from Northern Vermont describes it as serious in the best way — “like an oath almost. It’s always positive but it’s never taken too lightly.”

When a mentor kneels to ask, “Will you be my mentee?” or stands on stage to share kind words before presenting a handmade gift, it feels like a promise. Not just of fun Fridays ahead, but of commitment.

More Than a Fun Event

While the Matching Ceremony is playful and high-energy, it represents something much deeper.

DREAM is intentional about building relationships that last. Research and experience tell us that short-term mentoring relationships can do more harm than good. That’s why staff communicate expectations clearly, recruit with longevity in mind, and provide ongoing training and support. Mentors are encouraged to prioritize consistency and to understand that showing up matters.

After the ceremony, the real work begins. Structured programming, one-on-one activities, community partnerships, and regular check-ins help relationships grow. Staff remain closely involved to ensure both mentors and mentees feel supported.

Bruce Perlow emphasizes that what we hope each mentee gains is “a strong, impactful relationship with older youth in their community, and an especially strong, impactful relationship with one in particular.”

A trusted friend.

When Trust Comes to Life

The impact of these relationships becomes clear in everyday moments.

Joe Thompson recalls a winter sledding trip where a mentee took a hard fall and began to cry — not from injury, but from fear. Her mentor immediately knelt beside her, helped her regulate her breathing, talked her through it, and stayed present until she felt ready to try again. Minutes later, she was flying down the hill with a huge smile.

That is what a trusted friend looks like.

Not someone who removes challenges, but someone who walks through them alongside you.

Emma Otten, who recently facilitated matching ceremonies at Burlington High School and Mount Mansfield Union, hopes each mentee gains “confidence, problem solving and reasoning skills, flexibility, passion for something… a friend, someone they can confide in, meaning, purpose, a sense of belonging, emotional intelligence, and resilience.”

At DREAM, trusted friendship is not accidental, it is cultivated through continuous involvement.

The Heart of DREAM

When we ask, “What is DREAM’s heart for our DREAMers?” The answer lives in moments like the Matching Ceremony.

It lives in the careful conversations before matches are made.

It lives in the cheers that erupt when names are called.

It lives in handmade bracelets, shared coloring pages, and DREAM shirts worn proudly.

It lives in the quiet seriousness of a mentor who understands the responsibility of showing up.

And most of all, it lives in the steady, consistent presence of a trusted friend.

As February ends and we continue to celebrate The HEART of DREAM, we celebrate every mentor who raises their hand and says yes to being that trusted friend — and every young person who steps forward with courage and hope, ready to build something meaningful.

Because when a young person has someone who believes in them, walks beside them, and shows up week after week, everything begins to change.

Be a Part of Our H.E.A.R.T

DREAM is more than a program, it is a promise to make a meaningful impact on young lives. Every day, our mentors show up with a deep sense of purpose, fueled by the unique bond they share with their mentee. This journey begins at our Matching Ceremony, a thoughtful and intentional celebration where a true connection is officially sparked.

Will you be a part of our H.E.A.R.T this year?

We are closing the opportunity gap: one heart, one relationship, and one DREAM at a time!

Support these meaningful connections!

Donate Now