First Star Summer Academy highlights & other exciting news!

As the summer shined brightly on our First Star Academies, scholars participated in a combination of virtual and in-person activities while experiencing a variety of engaging programming. As our Summer Academies wrapped up with our scholars in great spirits, you can check out the highlights below and stay tuned for the next brilliant sunrise of our new school year!
Kent State University
Scholars at our First Star KSU Academy participated in diverse summer programming full of academics focused on math and language arts, as well as other engaging workshops like college and career readiness, financial literacy, conflict management, and other activities centered on social and emotional learning. Their four-week program culminated with a Summer Showcase! Academy scholars and staff, university leadership, First Star National staff, and special guest, Dr. Tameka Ellington, got to see scholars present their business plan projects and celebrate a dynamic Summer Academy!
University of Utah

During a month of summer fun, the First Star UU Academy offered a combination of academic enrichment, electives, small group and social activities, as well as celebratory opening and closing ceremonies. Scholars also participated in the First Star Virtual Summer Academy where their Academy hosted workshops on creative writing. What a memorable experience for our scholars!

SoCal Seniors Level Up
Our First Star UCLA Bruin Guardian Scholars Academy and CSU San Bernardino Academy teamed up for a special two-week virtual program for their rising high school seniors! The LEVEL UP programming offered opportunities to learn about the college application process, financial aid and grant opportunities, introduced scholars to our First Star Alumni Program, and partnered with The Plus Me Project ([link removed]) to tap into their storytelling skills. Now our scholars are walking away with powerful material for their personal college essays and are equipped with the necessary tools to be successful during their senior year! The future's looking bright!
South Jersey Collaborative
Big smiles all around! With activities all summer long, our First Star SJ Collaborative Academy had a combination of in-person and virtual engagements. The festivities included celebrating their seniors and graduates, Family Appreciation BBQ at Camp Edge, movie night, beach day, a cooking class at HopeLoft, an Academy Retreat at Niagra Falls, and they closed their summer with a celebration at Six Flags Great Adventure!
Illinois State University
Summer was in full bloom at the First Star ISU Academy! Scholars were mailed boxes at the beginning of their Summer Imersion Program so they had all the materials they needed for exciting activities like planting an herb garden, virtual painting, and Home Chef cooking. They also ventured out to a local indoor rock climbing center!
CLICK HERE to Support Our Scholars! ([link removed])
National STEAM Academy
This September, the First Star National STEAM Academy is back with a Fall season focused on the Science of Sports. We invite all teens and young adults to join us as we explore STEAM, sports, and social justice with a mix of speakers and hands-on activities!

RSVP ASAP to get your STEAM kit!
Sign-Up for STEAM Academy Kickoff! ([link removed])
In the meantime, watch our
Season One Tech Talks on First Star's YouTube Channel ([link removed]) and check out our STEAM Academy Impact Report below!
Alumni Program
We have an exciting opportunity for young people who have lived experience in foster care and want to share their story! The Bonus Babies podcast ([link removed]) features the compelling true-life stories of youth with a lived foster care experience and the people who care for them. They're committed to changing the current landscape of the foster care maze by broadcasting the true stories of the youth who’ve been forced to navigate through it. We want to hear your voices elevated, so check out their website ([link removed]) for more details!
New Game Inspired by First Star Youth Coach
After an epic brainstorming event hosted by Earthshot ([link removed]) for our First Star CSU San Bernardino Academy and First Star Alumni, Earthshot has announced the official launch of their game, First Chef. The idea for a fun, interactive game based on learning about food sustainability was originally sparked by First Star Youth Coach, Keann! Way to go! He continues to be a game advisor with Earthshot and we can’t wait to see his continued success! You can watch the promo video here! ([link removed])
National Two-Day Training for Academy Staff
First Star offered a two-day training series to all Academy Directors and staff on June 29th and 30th. The training supported Academy staff in learning about trauma-informed practices, healthy boundaries, confidentiality, and how to best support Academy Scholars in their journey of resilience in virtual and in-person educational spaces. Through dialogue, experiential activities, and skill-building, participants learned applicable strategies that they can now apply in their personal and professional practice.

Nikita Gupta ([link removed]) , MPH, CHES, RYT, integrated frameworks such as ACEs, growth mindset, resilience coaching, and mindfulness into the staff training. Key elements included practices that promoted engagement and connection to our Scholars, tools to facilitate dialogue and authentic reflection, and adoption of skills to support greater mental health and well-being. Nikita followed up with a drop-in session that further expanded on how to support First Star scholars transitioning back to school.

Brian Ritchey ([link removed]) , First Star Director of Academy Engagement, East Coast, led two workshops, one on Boundaries and the other on Confidentiality, which touched on topics including foster youth privacy laws, mandatory reporting, and best practices for maintaining boundaries and discussing these topics with scholars. As part of our National team, Brian keeps busy not only as a proud father to Tomás (who's almost 2!), but he also continues to support Academy staff as they prepare for the new school year.

New Board of Directors
To learn more about our newest board members, please visit our website, HERE ([link removed]) .

Linda Gallardo
First Star Alumna

David Valentine
Goucher College

Janet Rosenzweig
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children

Become a part of the
FIRST STAR NATIONAL TEAM!

We are looking for a Los Angeles-based Director of Development to use their expertise, vision, and knowledge to sustain and generate financial support for First Star!

Apply Today! ([link removed])

August In the News:

How Simone Biles went from foster care to Olympic great

Even now, 20 years later, some of the memories remain as vivid for Simone Biles as if they happened yesterday. When Biles visits with foster kids or partners with sponsors to provide kids in the foster system ([link removed]) with clothes and school supplies, it’s not a drive-by charitable effort designed to burnish her image. Glamorous as her life might be now, she was one of those kids without a permanent and stable home, and she can never forget that.

D.C. teen wins free ice cream for efforts helping foster care children

Miguel Coppedge, 15, Baskin-Robbin’s "Pint-Sized Heroes," ([link removed]) is making a big impact, delivering comfort bags to children in the D.C. foster care system through his “I Care Comfort” project. ([link removed]) Coppedge’s mission is a personal one, having been in the D.C. foster care system until he was adopted at the age of two. Now, he’s receiving a sweet reward for his community service from ice cream company Baskin-Robbins, receiving a $5,000 check for the charity of his choice.

Woman uses TikTok to educate on the importance of fostering teenagers

One woman is using social media to advocate for being a foster parent to teenagers. ([link removed]) She became a certified emergency foster parent in October 2019, and has fostered around 50 kids since then. Before she became a foster parent, Burcham was a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) for three years in the Washington, D.C., area. CASAs are volunteers who get assigned a child in foster care and then advocate for that child and their best interests in court.

Stay Connected!
Make sure you are following us on all our social handles
to stay up-to-date with our Academies all summer long.
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