January is the month where we acknowledge and celebrate the inspiring life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his global impact.  

In honor of MLK Day and his vision of a better world for kids of color (among other things), YES Prep North Central Elementary (NCE) hosted a Dream Parade on Friday, January 20 to give our students the opportunity to dress up as what they aspire to become. 

Families dropped off their kids in the early morning and crowded the campus to watch the over 700 elementary students march around the school as doctors, business owners, police officers, sports players and other major professions. From pre-K to 4th graders, kids paraded around the building with huge smiles, high-energy and visions of a bright future.  

“It was amazing just to see the kids dress up and show us what they want to be in the future!”, said Natalia Bustamante, NCE staff member. “It’s incredibly humbling to see that we've helped them to believe in themselves and fight for their dreams and accomplish whatever they want to be.” 

We’re so proud of our students and their drive to one day change the world. As Principal Michelle LaFlure stated in her opening statement to families who attended the parade, the message is simple: “Do not just see your children as fulfilling their own dreams. Envision your children as being part of fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream.” 

View our full gallery from the North Central Elementary Dream Parade.