Urban Dreams OWI School is an alternative to jail for persons convicted of OWI.

 

Under Iowa law, a person convicted of first-offense operating while intoxicated (OWI) is sentenced to serve 48 hours of jail time. Also, the offenders must complete a course for drinking drivers. OWI School offers a unique program combining court-ordered jail time with mandatory classes.

 

Urban Dreams OWI School is led by experienced facilitators, instructors, and security. The instructors are certified by Prevention Research Institute and meet Iowa’s Department of Transportation requirements for driver’s license reinstatement. Many are minorities and have lived experience.

 

OWI School provides 12 and 48 hours of educational information and is NOT a treatment program. The participants spend a weekend in a double occupancy hotel room (smoking on site is permitted) with classes held in the hotel’s meeting room. Meals for the weekend are catered to the hotel and are included in the registration cost.

 

Persons attending the weekend program must have already received their sentence AND MUST HAVE COURT APPROVAL for the time spent in the program to count as the 2-day jail sentence. Participation in the Urban Dreams OWI School program, although not sponsored or endorsed by the Iowa Courts, requires the approval of the individual judge involved in the case.

 

Upon completing the Urban Dreams OWI School, each person attending the program will receive a certificate for their participation. Additionally, the Department of Transportation certificates is sent to the D.O.T. as required for driver’s license reinstatement. Facilitators also notify the Clerk of Court of the county where the sentencing occurred that the class has been completed.

Our Team​​

• Kristin Brekelmans - Instructor & Security

• Carla Brown - Security

• Calvin Brown - Security

• Leah Churchill - Instructor 

• Tessie Duncan - Instructor & Security 

• James Harrington - Instructor

• Phillip Little - Instructor & Security 

• Rachel Manna - Instructor, Security, & Co-Coordinator 

• Judy McIntire - Security​

• Victoria Rocha - Instructor

• Kwame Smith, IADC - Security

• Bobby Stephenson - Security

• Shelli Manna - Lead Coordinator 

• Izaah Knox - Urban Dreams Executive Director