Welcome to One Dream educational nonprofit

One Dream seeks to ensure that low-income students have the support and guidance needed to successfully complete high school and become civically engaged life-long learners with the necessary knowledge and skills to adapt to changing local, regional, and global demands. One Dream supports K-12 graduates as they progress through their postsecondary experience, be it college, skilled trade apprenticeships, certificate programs, military, or other pathways unknown. Transitioning to thriving careers achieving financial self-sufficiency and building a strong foundation for generational wealth and prosperity.

For students, particularly low-income first-generation students, to successfully transition from high school to the workforce or college, it is often due to support from knowledgeable and supportive adults who provide extensive guidance and support during this transition. One Dream seeks to accomplish just that. Through trauma-informed interventions and support, One Dream understands that a person’s zip code should not dictate their life trajectory. It is a foundational understanding that the color of one’s skin, culture, and/or sexual orientation should never create a direct entry into the school-to-prison pipeline but should be celebrated as the strength supporting their movement into the pipeline of generational wealth and prosperity. That creation of generational wealth and establishment of financial equity not only leads to violence reduction and prevention for the individual but also positively impacts the families of these young people and some of our most disenfranchised communities.

One Dream is a high school-based crossover student support model that utilizes Transition Specialists who work with and support students in high school, the summer after graduation, to and through their postsecondary pathways into a thriving, livable career track. Even though most institutes of higher education and other postsecondary career pathways have a plethora of support ranging from academic advisors, mentors, tutors, mental health professionals, student success navigators, etc., it is overwhelmingly common for first-year first-generation low-income high school graduates to not bond with any these supports early in their postsecondary career. Because of this, they do not take advantage of these support systems during the most critical and stressful period of their postsecondary lives – immediately after high school graduation and the first few months of their postsecondary education. Instead, these young people will often reach back to their comfort zone of high school and their prior supports - an interested adult, a favorite teacher, an involved counselor, etc. One Dream effectively formalizes and professionalizes these transitional supports into one position - the Transition Specialist. 

  While One Dream is similar to some existing organizations and programs, there are significant and critical differences. Though many of these programs (including One Dream) support students at the high school level, with only some like One Dream supporting the same students after graduation, only One Dream continues following these same students with the same staff that supported them while in high school and continues to stay with the students to and through their respective postsecondary education pathways. One Dream Transition Specialists follow each of their students from high school to their respective postsecondary education pathway and stay with them through to its successful completion and on into their careers. Ultimately, it is the longstanding relationship with a caring adult that allows for the positive impact of the One Dream intervention to take hold. This is how our youth can achieve financial self-sufficiency and establish the foundation for generational wealth and prosperity.

• The ASCEND Program (Advancing Success, Community, Education, and New Directions) at One Dream is dedicated to empowering undocumented youth by providing comprehensive support that fosters education, career readiness, and community, ultimately leading to a thriving career track. 

• The IMPACT Program (Inspiring Mentorship, Pathways, Access, and Career Transitions) at One Dream is dedicated to supporting students from high school through their postsecondary journey and into thriving, sustainable careers. With a focus on low-income, first-generation students, our Transition Specialist provides continuous mentorship and guidance, ensuring that students successfully navigate the critical transition from high school to higher education, vocational training, or career paths. 

• One Dream PPA Initiative (Policy & Program Advancement Initiative). One Dream collaborates with colleges and universities, skilled trades, the military, and other postsecondary institutions to strengthen recruitment, retention, and graduation ratesfor low-income and first-generation students. Additionally, One Dream works at the state policy level to develop and advocate for legislation that removes barriers to student success and strengthens career pathways.

Craig Peña is a Denver native who believes in kids. He sees the inherent beauty, capacity, and individuality in every young person. While others may spend their spare time golfing, reading, or going to the movies, Craig spends his time working with students—helping them navigate education, careers, and life.

A proud graduate of Denver Public Schools, Craig earned his bachelor’s degree in social work from Colorado State University and his master’s from Columbia University in New York City. His career has been dedicated to serving marginalized communities, from working with homeless and chronically mentally ill individuals to supporting veterans and working with youth in psychiatric inpatient settings. During the height of the AIDS epidemic, Craig was one of only two master’s-level social workers in the Bronx working with individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. Later, as Deputy Director of the Residential Development Unit for the NYC Department of Mental Health, he oversaw mental health services for homeless and formerly homeless individuals across the city.

Upon returning to Denver, Craig directed the city’s first School-to-Work program—a precursor to today’s Career and Technical Education (CTE)—before becoming Vice President of Social Services at Servicios de La Raza, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Colorado’s Latino community. He later took a brief entrepreneurial hiatus, founding and operating several successful Latino-focused apparel companies.

Craig’s passion for education brought him back to public service, where he spent eight years with Colorado GEAR UP, helping over 1,500 low-income, first-generation students—predominantly students of color—pursue meaningful postsecondary pathways. At Denver Public Schools, he negotiated groundbreaking agreements with two- and four-year colleges and spearheaded an initiative that increased low-income student college commitments by 117% at a leading Colorado university. He also pioneered a first-of-its-kind partnership with the City of Denver, securing over $500,000 to support low-income DPS students in high-demand career tracks. Craig further established skilled trade partnerships with 14 union apprenticeship programs, ensuring fully benefited, livable-wage career opportunities for DPS graduates. His efforts also led to skilled trades conferences across multiple high schools, exposing students—and staff—to careers in the trades and public safety.

Craig’s commitment to equity runs deep—he was a named plaintiff in the landmark Keyes v. District Onedesegregation case that integrated DPS, as well as a named plaintiff in the DPS ELL Consent Decree, ensuring equitable access for English language learners. He also co-authored the report "Resegregation in Denver Public Schools," shedding light on the ongoing challenges of educational equity.

Beyond his professional work, Craig is a dedicated postsecondary advisor for young people nationwide and an active volunteer supporting veterans as they transition back into civilian life. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, big-game hunting, snowboarding, whitewater rafting, and backcountry whitewater expeditions.

Craig and his wife are proud parents of two sons—one a U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant and the other a bartender in Denver—both of whom continue to make their family proud.