An impulsive move on the part of one visionary man resulted in a national movement to positively change the lives of at-risk youth forever.

In 1981, Eugene Lang returned to give a speech at his former elementary school in New York to graduating sixth graders. When the principal informed Lang that relatively few of these students would make it through high school, Lang changed his prepared remarks to say that he would promise every sixth grader in the school college tuition if they finished high school.

In doing so, the I Have a Dream Foundation was born, and the program continues to this day, buoyed by an extensive network that is in place in 64 cities across 27 states. The program provides mentoring, tutoring, and tuition assistance for higher education to children from low-income communities.

At the Foundation site, users can learn about the program's history, its basic tenets, and sign up as for volunteer opportunities.