Mission Statement
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Empowering Successful Teens through Education, Awareness & Mentoring, referred to as E.S.T.E.A.M., is to provide current research to organizations and communities on the needs and dangers teens and young adults face from the ages of 13-25, as they approach maturation, and offer community solutions to help at-risk and underserved teens (throwaways) take successful, productive steps toward adulthood, particularly in developing and offering mentoring opportunities.
Description
Empowering Successful Teens through Education, Awareness & Mentoring (E.S.T.E.A.M.)’ s founder and executive director, Dawn Schiller is a former at-risk "throwaway" teen and author of her memoir "The Road Through Wonderland" which details her teenage years of abuse and neglect. Dawn brings with her many years of personal experience coupled with academic research and an expert speaking background on the topic of "throwaway" youth. Nationally she sits on the Education Committee and is an Advisory Board member for the National Center of Victims of Crime out of Washington, D.C. She is an Advisory Board member for the organizations, The Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center and Voices Set Free. She has represented Val Kilmer in New York for the Volvo For Life Awards in both 2006 and 2008. Dawn has been awarded the Woman of Vision and Courage Award from the President’s Commission on the Status of Women at Eastern Oregon University on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2010. Nominated for the R.O.S.E. (Regaining Ones Self Esteem) award in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and the Sunshine Peace Award 2010.
The mission of E.S.T.E.A.M. is to raise awareness and educate communities on the plight of at-risk "throwaway" youth, as well as provide mentoring model development and events to support their struggles to grow into positive adulthood. Many of the issues we address include physical, emotional and sexual abuse, drug addition, human trafficking and prevention. Currently, we raise awareness and educate on "throwaway" youth both locally and nationally at events such as End Violence Against Women International, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Sunrise Rotary, Soroptimists, and various media venues. In addition, we maintain a website at www.empowerteens.com to educate and mentor a wider audience.
As we develop, E.S.T.E.A.M.’s history will include not only mentoring events, but through a donation of $10,000 from Medallion Press/Media, the production of a documentary on "throwaway" youth scheduled to begin filming at the end of 2011. Several popular musicians have approached us to volunteer their time for benefit fundraisers and to be possible mentoring leaders. We anticipate that as we head into 2011, many more opportunities for collaboration on education and mentoring our youth in need will develop.
The Board of Directors of E.S.T.E.A.M. has been strategically engaged so to offer expertise in the area of education, media, existing foundation experience and the law
