Wishing you a Season of Peace & Joy!
As the year closes, we are filled with gratitude for our First Star family. Getting to see some of our Academies slowly return to safe, in-person gatherings has filled our hearts to the brim. We hope that 2022 continues to bring us together in new and exciting ways. Wishing you all a holiday season filled with peace and joy!
First Star UCLA Bruin Guardian Scholars Academy Holiday Party
Our First Star UCLA Bruin Guardian Scholars Academy hosted a Holiday Party on Saturday, December 4th featuring food, gifts, a student talent showcase, a panel discussion from First Star Co-Founder Peter Samuelson's film company PhilmCo, and a chance for current scholars to catch up with their First Star family from years past.
UCLA Academy student Shay presented this beautiful poem:
First Star University of Miami Career Day
Our First Star University of Miami Academy was a recipient of a Racial Justice Grant given out by The University of Miami, as a commitment to invest in service-oriented initiatives, pursue equity locally, and find creative ways to address racial justice.
They used the grant to host a Student Career Day this past month, bringing faculty and students from the engineering department, medical school, STEM, arts, pre-dental, business, track and field, pre-law, and members of the NAACP chapter.
The five-hour event included a college application workshop, Black student life exploration presented by student organization leaders, and a career fair with representation in students' specific desired fields of study and professions.
First Star National STEAM Academy
This past Saturday our First Star National STEAM Academy hosted the last tech talk of the year on Exercise & Sports Psychology, featuring Dr. Leeja Carter. Dr. Carter, a Scholar, feminist change-maker, and expert on inclusive and equity-focused practice in sport and health spoke with us about sports psychology!
Watch December's Tech Talk ([link removed])
Catch up on November's Tech Talk:
Sports & Social Justice with NBA player Kyle Kuzma
Kyle Kuzma, who won an NBA championship with the Lakers in 2020 before being traded to the Wizards in 2021, shared his journey and talked about the common ground between sports and social justice.
Watch his talk now on our YouTube Channel!
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2021 First Star Brilliance Award
We are proud to present First Star UCLA Bruin Guardian Scholars Academy Director Karina Garcia with the 2021 First Star Brilliance Award, honoring those who have gone above and beyond to serve our scholars.
Karina Garcia ([link removed]) leads the way at the First Star UCLA Bruin Guardian Scholars Academy with the support of her team to uplift scholar engagement and success. She regularly coordinates peer events where other Academy Directors connect and support each other through challenges and triumphs. We’re so fortunate to have someone with Karina’s character, strength, and visionary leadership as part of our First Star family! Congrats on being this year’s First Star Brilliance Award recipient!
First Star Northern CA Initiative
On Thursday, December 2, our partners in the Inspiring Scholars Program at Butte College hosted a Virtual Cooking Night! It was a huge hit with their students and we were so honored to be a part of it by donating grocery gift cards so students can continue their culinary exploration and have a little food security during the holiday season. A special shoutout to our incredible partners Vance, Susan, and Eddie! We can't do this work without you. Support them on Instagram @bcinspiringscholars ([link removed])
Alumni Program
This past weekend, our First Star Alumni Program hosted their annual virtual Holiday Reunion. It was a wonderful opportunity for alumni from across the country to celebrate the holiday season and share all the amazing accomplishments they have achieved this year. This year's party included a raffle for a few lucky alumni to receive laptops!
Keep #GivingTuesday Going By #GivingEveryTuesday!
This year your generosity has overwhelmed us! We had our most successful #GivingTuesday to date! But it's not too late to make a difference in the lives of the youth we serve.
This year we're turning #GivingTuesday into #GivingEveryTuesday! Each Tuesday for the rest of the year is another chance to give back to your community. Thank you for making First Star your charity of choice during this season of giving.
Support Our Alumni with your Year-End Gift ([link removed])
December In the News:
First Star Kent State University Academy featured in Kent State Today
The First Star Kent State University Academy was featured in Kent State Today ([link removed]) , to shine a light on the ways the pandemic has shaped the program and how Academy Director Danielle Green-Welch has creatively pivoted traditional academy programming to meet the needs of her students this past year. We're so thrilled to see our KSU Academy students thriving and can't wait to see what's in store for them in 2022!
'Friendsgiving' hopes to raise awareness about kids living in the foster care system during the holidays
“The holidays are normally a really tough time for people who don’t have their normal home or their normal family,” ([link removed]) said 23-year-old Rimy Morris, who was in foster care since she was 10. Morris now works for Foster Success ([link removed]) , a nonprofit that helps kids age out of the system. This year, they hosted its 3rd annual Friendsgiving, bringing young people in the foster care system together to share a meal and time with each other. “It’s our tradition. It’s our thing,” said Morris.
Holiday Season Tough on Foster Kids Transitioning to Adulthood
Research has shown ([link removed]) that by their early 20s, nearly half of teens in foster care are without a permanent home and are unemployed. This shows how important it is to maintain connections and mentorships, even beyond the holiday season. ([link removed]) For bridge programs, there are options such as the Iowa Aftercare Services Network ([link removed]) , which connects these young adults with key resources. There is also COVID relief funding ([link removed]) for foster alumni which has been extended through next spring.
Stay Connected!
Make sure you are following us on all our social handles
to stay up-to-date with our Academies all year long.
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