How was this organization started?
The Dream Big
Experience is a program that was created by the non –profit organization Light
House Solutions. Light House Solutions is a mobile community outreach
organization that was created in 2011 founded by Stacy Harper who is a Sr. Workforce
Development Specialist.
Light House
Solutions was started in Maryland and the Washington DC area providing a wealth
of human service resources to people from all different walks of life in
need.
Later, Stacy took
the company and joined forces with her sister Lakisha Bradley in their home
state of Arkansas
As a result, in
2016 the Dream Big Experience, a teen workforce development program, was born.
Both Stacy and Lakisha were previous players on the golf team at the University Arkansas Pine Bluff
What
is your Mission Statement?
Light House Solutions mission is “To Do” by bridging the gap
between resources and the community. We are driven to be “doers” in the
community, helping to improve the quality of life for all. We offer several
programs throughout the year to fulfill those needs; one of those is called the
“Dream Big Experience”.
Our Dream Big Experience program is where we invite students from
across the state of Arkansas Northwest
Arkansas culture
through businesses, leadership, arts, and workforce development.
Students get an opportunity to engage with professional players
and play/learn the game of golf at the same time. Our goal is to create
environments for teens that promote personal achievement, social aspiration,
creativity, as well as, allowing each participant to just dream bigger!
What is your Motto?
Dream Big Experience Motto is: Dream Big,
Do It Big, Make It Happen!
Can you tell
me about the work your organization does and the program or programs you run?
Light House Solutions has empowered a
multitude of individuals for 7 years reconnecting youth with their families and
working with local community and government leaders to strengthen their mission
statements. Light House Solutions has three programs:
XTreme
Achievers: Youth
Enrichment program teaching ages 3-13 to build confidence, courage,
communication and leadership skills through Physical Education, Performing Arts
and our Creative Arts classes.
Trails of
Love: Community
Development, working with community leaders and residents to create a shared
vision for self- learning and community sustainability. We are reputable for
our huge back to school events and XTreme Holiday Give-a-ways.
Dream Big Experience: Teen Workforce Development program engaging ages 14-21 in
the areas of life skills, career readiness, business communication, continuing
education and social engagement.
We create
professional environments for teens to learn how to dream bigger.
Through this program Light House Solutions
will host selected high school and college students across Arkansas
What results does your organization
achieve?
We have empowered, supported and motivated a multitude of
families, youth and individuals to become active within their communities,
schools and homes. Light House Solutions has taken the charge for 7 years to
make sure children go back to school with all the necessities to have a strong
start, supporting parents financially across the state of AR.
We help children learn how to sportingly compete with their peers
and become healthy self-starters before he/she enters into a sport. More
importantly, teens gain the needed insight and tools to enter into the
workforce successfully through our workshops.
Describe a time where you managed a specific challenge and
we're proud of how you acted upon it?
When we first received the opportunity to have all access to the
Northwest Arkansas LPGA Championship, and create the Dream Big Experience
program back in 2016, we only had 2 months to pull it all together. It was a
little intimidating at first but when God is in the midst of the miracles that
were about to happen, there were no limits to what we could do.
We quickly pulled together a dynamic group of people who just so happen
to come from similar small towns like us and had a passion for giving back to
their communities.
We call them our “Dream Team”. The Dream Big Experience would not
be possible without the help, dedication, and support of them. That year we got
an opportunity to impact the lives of 7 students from Pine
Bluff Arkansas University Arkansas Pine
Bluff
Tell me about your
approach to motivating and empowering?
My sister and I are firm believers that words don’t
teach but life lessons do, we speak our truth through our work. We motivate and
empower through creating environments for people to feel joy, love, support and
rejuvenation of their spirits to want to create positive outcomes.
We empower because we are Doers in the community leading the way with no fear
to change old stagnate thinking that stops us as a human race from moving
forward with a purpose.
What
are your goals for the next three to five years? What priorities will help you
achieve them?
To obtain a home office in the NWA area that will allow us to
operate our programs throughout the Arkansas United States
To help support our vision we need sponsors to listen to our
story, believe in our work, and join us as “Doers” in our mission to prepare our
youth to be great and successful in the workforce.
Making A Difference In The Community
