Communities In Schools Featured in Premiere Episode of "DREAM ON" Series Exploring the Future of the American Dream

Episode spotlights CIS' proven model and impact in San Antonio

ARLINGTON, Va., May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Communities In Schools® (CIS®), the nation's leading provider of K–12 integrated student supports, will be featured in the premiere episode of DREAM ON, a new YouTube series dedicated to exploring solutions that improve access to the American Dream. The episode launches at 10 a.m. ET on May 5, 2026, and will spotlight the transformative impact of CIS' work in San Antonio and nationally.

Hosted by Vox Video co-founder Joe Posner and co-produced by Emmy Award-winning producer James Watson, DREAM ON brings a fresh, solutions-focused lens to some of the nation's most pressing challenges—including stagnating education and economic mobility. The series is supported by The EdRedesign Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and highlights real-world, evidence-based approaches that are improving outcomes in communities across the country.

The premiere episode takes viewers to San Antonio to explore how Communities In Schools' nearly 50-year-old, relationship-driven model comes to life through its local affiliate. Communities In Schools of San Antonio, which has served the region for 40 years, operates across 15 school districts and supports students in more than 130 schools throughout Bexar County and surrounding communities. The episode highlights how the affiliate partners with schools, families, and community organizations to remove barriers to learning and ensure students have the support they need to stay in school and succeed.

The episode also highlights findings from a recent Harvard–Cornell research study, which identified Communities In Schools as one of the most effective programs ever evaluated for increasing the lifetime earnings of low-income students. By leveraging the power of trusted adult relationships to improve attendance, strengthen engagement, and connect students to critical supports such as tutoring, mentoring, health services, and basic needs, CIS is helping to promote their long-term economic mobility and change the trajectory of their lives.

"Stories like this matter because they show what's possible when ideas turn into movements grounded in people and relationships," said Rey Saldaña, CIS National President and CEO. "For nearly five decades, Communities In Schools has worked alongside schools and communities to remove barriers and create opportunity. We're proud to see that work recognized on a national platform."

DREAM ON aims to bring "smart with heart" storytelling to audiences nationwide, showcasing scalable solutions that address challenges from education to economic development and helping viewers better understand how communities are working to restore opportunity across the country.

"We believe communities across the country hold many of the answers to restoring the American Dream," said Rob Watson, Executive Director of EdRedesign and Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. "These are the kinds of stories that deserve a national audience on platforms like YouTube, where a growing majority of young to middle-aged Americans consume their news. We hope that DREAM ON will shape critical conversations and decision-making about policy, practice, and systems change in the years to come."

Watch the premiere DREAM ON episode featuring Communities In Schools at
https://www.youtube.com/@dreamon.

About Communities In Schools 
Communities In Schools® (CIS®) is proven to help students reach their full potential. For 49 years, CIS has supported millions of students in achieving their goals in school, succeeding in the workforce, and thriving in life. Working directly inside more than 3,500 schools across the country, CIS connects students to caring adults and community resources that help them see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future.

About DREAM ON
DREAM ON is a YouTube show delivering optimistic explainers about how to fix the American Dream. Featuring "smart with heart" storytelling, the show uses curiosity, rigor, and empathy to explore solutions for America's most pressing challenges — from housing and healthcare to education and economic development.

SOURCE Communities In Schools