The Dare Dreamer Movement by Julene Fleurmond

Image Source: Ten9Eight Website

(This was originally posted on my youth site www.DreamerENT.com. I’m an alumna of NFTE, an organization that teaches youth about entrepreneurship and that motivated this teen to start his own custom guitar company. To find out more about how you or someone you know can take part in NFTE visit www.nfte.com.)

14-year-old Alexander Niles, a middle-school student from South Florida, is mixing his love of guitars with entrepreneurship, creating custom guitars that he will sell on his online store. He constructs each guitar from scratch, and creatively embellishes them to the customer’s liking.

Alexander received his business training from the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship NFTE, a great program for elementary to high school students that helps them build their own businesses. You can learn more about his company in this article in the South Florida Business Journal. Watch Alexander rocking out on his own custom guitar in the video below from the upcoming documentary Ten9Eight: Shoot For the Moon, which features several other young entrepreneurs. For more information about NFTE, visit http://nfte.com.

On my other site Dream in Soul, I interviewed Dr. Naima Johnston an inspirational singer and author who gave tips for artists on following their calling. Check out part of the interview below and click “Continue Reading” for the full interviews. Dr. Naima also has seminars to help anyone who needs guidance to reach their dreams; visit her at www.naimajohnston.com for more information.

Called to Sing: Interview with Author and Singer Dr. Naima Johnston, Part 1

Dr. Naima Johnston shares how she overcame many obstacles to respond to her call to sing. Her new book Called To Sing: 13 Mistakes To Avoid When Starting In Music Ministry addresses issues that many artists fail to recognize as potential problems that can stunt the growth of their ministries.

Attempted suicide at 14. Sexually assaulted as a teenager. Told she wasn’t good enough to sing at 18. Struggled with eating disorders in college. Abused by live in boyfriend at 22. Saved by grace at 24. Broken-hearted and desolate at 30.

These are some of the tribulations that Dr. Naima Johnston faced throughout her life. In her early 30s, after she left her position as the Associate Director of Student Life at Wright State University to pursue a career in Christian music, she found herself confused, financially bankrupt, emotionally drained, and doubting the calling of God.

Growing into Your Calling: Part 2 of Interview with Dr. Naima Johnston

In Part 1 of the interview, Dr. Naima Johnston introduced herself and her passion to share her past mistakes in ministry to help aspiring artists. In Part 2 she shares how she overcame many obstacles to respond to her call to sing, and gives even more advice on finding your calling. Her new book Called To Sing: 13 Mistakes To Avoid When Starting In Music Ministry addresses issues that many artists fail to recognize as potential problems that can stunt the growth of their ministries. If you missed it click here to read Part 1 of the interview.

Dream in Soul: How do you think someone knows what their ministry calling is? How do you know if you are called to sing?

Nike is looking for their next Field Reporter, a young woman who will get the opportunity to travel across the country and interview some of the biggest athletes in the game. Check out Nike’s description of the contest below:

Who Were Lookin For
One lucky lady between 18-24 whos sassy, smart and sports savvy. If you’re in the know and on the go, its time to take your shot at being the first-ever Nike Field Reporter.

Whats a Field Reporter?
If you think you have what it takes to volley one-liners with Maria Sharapova, kick it with Mia Hamm, and Q&A over cappuccinos with Serena Williams, this is your dream job.

As the Nike Field Reporter, you’ll jetset around the country on Nike’s dime talking to athletes, artists and culture makers. You’ll report back in the form of photos, videos and blog entries.

You have to be ready for anything and anyone. As this is being written, the current Nike Field Reporter is spending a few days just hanging out with Kobe Bryant.

Think you could keep up? Remember this isn’t a job for the camera shy. Or the easily intimidated. You’ll need to show us you can talk a good game, as well as play one. Make us laugh. Impress us with your quick wit and storytelling. Prove to us you are Nike’s next star in a 2-minute audition video and sample blog post.

Check out the Nike site for more information and to apply.

You can visit the current Field Reporter’s blog here. Check out these videos of the first Nike Field Reporter, and the promotion video for the contest:

Talk about dreams come true! 17-year-old singer Charice Pempengco recently blew away the audience of the Oprah Winfrey Show, and the world, with the performance of her first single “Note to God.” The performance was part of Oprah’s Talented Kids series finale.

Renowned songwriter Diane Warren, who wrote the song said “I thought that would be the perfect song, and you did way beyond what I had hoped for.”

Oprah told Charice, “You are a force to be reckoned with. That voice comes from something bigger than yourself. You’re pulling it up out of some place deeper than your little body.”

Click here or the picture below to see the video on Youtube. You can also see Charice’s interview on the Oprah Winfrey Show by clicking here.

Charice also has a role on the upcoming Alvin and the Chipmunks movie coming out on December 25, 2009.

Charice truly reminds us that dreams really can come true! See more facts about the young singer below.

For more about Charice, check out some facts below about how she got her start:

Dreamer Profile: Charice Pempengco

Charice began getting exposure through videos of herself singing on YouTube, gaining up to 13 million hits!

Born and raised in the Philippines, Charice was discovered at age 4 when her mother, a singer herself, noticed her daughter’s loud, rather enthusiastic version of “Happy Birthday” and decided to teach her proper vocal technique.

By age 7, Charice was competing in local contests and belting out songs by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion.

In 2007, a web-savvy fan began posting a series of Charice’s performances on YouTube. These included her performances of “I Will Always Love You” and “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” from the “Dreamgirls” soundtrack – both of which were broadcast on the Filipino talent show Little Big Star. That led to a performance on the popular South Korean talent show Star King.

Once that appeared on YouTube, she became an authentic internet sensation. Charice soon attracted the attention of American TV shows and appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Several months later, she appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show bringing Oprah and the audience to tears when she sang.

Charice has performed alongside such stars as Michael Bublé, Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Katharine McPhee and Josh Groban.

After singing with Celine Dion at her Madison Square Garden show in New York City, Charice confessed, “It was a dream come true. She’s my idol. I felt like the luckiest kid in the world.”

What’s next for Charice? “I want to sing AND dance with Justin Timberlake,” she laughs, speaking of how she would like to branch into different genres such as pop.

Facts from Charice’s Official website

In the video below, a young journalist covered Essence Magazine’s 1st Young Women’s Leadership Conference that took place in November 2008, in Washington, D.C. The conference was aimed at supporting young women to be prepared for the workforce, and featured a number of panelists.

Two of the panelists included young entrepreneurs and designers Angela and Vanessa Simmons, the daughters of Reverend Run, and co-founders of the Pastry fashion apparel line. The girls encourage young people to pursue entrepreneurship, and tell young people:

“…With determination, perseverance and hard work, that the things that they want are attainable no matter what… No matter what background they come from, no matter how old you are, there’s no deadline on dreams, and you should just keep pushing and keep going to achieve the things that you want to achieve… We want to be that little hope of inspiration that it does happen and it can happen.”

– Angela and Vanessa Simmons, at the Essence Women’s Youth Leadership Conference