A Letter Dedicated to Dr. Arliss Roaden
Dr. Arliss L. Roaden, age 85, of Nashville, a member of the STARS Board of Directors, recently passed away. As his obituary stated, he was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Dr. Roaden was an educator, at all times. He had a long and distinguished career, formally serving as the Executive Director of […]
Importance of Providing Trauma Informed Care
Imagine a female whose runaround in the foster care system began when she was only two years old. Her mother, an addict, struggled and eventually lost custody of her nine year old daughter due to neglect. The daughter is now sixteen with a brain traumatized by the early loss of her mother. To survive, she […]
Young Artists Are Not Just a Sound Bite
I want to begin with a young artist who has always inspired me, Jean Michel Basquiat. Young Artists are Not Just a Sound Bite Basquiat was a highly intelligent, teenage graffiti artist, known by other street artists as ”Samo,” His curated mark-making and sayings on public buildings around Manhattan were numerous and impossible to ignore […]
STARS Literacy Programs 2016
Research shows when an activity is fun, we tend to perform better. At STARS, we believe, we can make reading a fun activity and impact the community by improving reading proficiency! Services for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) – Literacy Program Thanks to funding provided by Community Enhancement Fund, STARS was […]
Compassion: The Antidote to Trauma
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by negativity? Turning on the news you see a stream of violence, drug abuse, scandal and scary statistics. The weight of our social ills, mental health issues and rates of physical disease can make many feel helpless…or even worse, cynical. Compassion: The Antidote to Trauma One research study has begun […]
U.S teens are more likely to use an illicit drug than European Teens
“The U.S ranks first in the proportion of students using any illicit drug other than marijuana in their lifetime and using hallucinogens like LSD in their lifetime…” Testimony of Illicit Drug Use It was one of those early spring mornings when dew still glitters on the grass before the burn of the sun. As […]
STARS Program Wish List
Due to the growth and demands of our services, our programs are always in need of specific items from our STARS family. We would love for you to consider donating to STARS the following items: We’ve categorized the needs based on each of our programs: Student Assistance Program File Folders General Office Supplies Hand Sanitizer […]
STARS Bullying Prevention Month
October is Bullying Prevention month, focusing on groups across the country committed to putting an end to bullying, relaying information aimed to bring awareness as well as to provide prevention resources. October serves as a reminder that bullying is an issue entire communities must address. One valuable way to do that is to educate ourselves […]
Substance Abuse in Families
Substance Abuse is a serious disease that continues to threaten the fabric of our community. As we look throughout society, there are many examples of substance abuse and the collateral damage that it leaves. If not careful, the family of a substance abuser can be swallowed by the collateral damage. With no preexisting knowledge or […]
Integrating School Climate Reform
My Experience at IIRP’s Integrating School Climate Reform One of the most enjoyable, rewarding parts of my work is providing training for school personnel. I believe in professional development and care deeply about serving those that care for our young people. I’ve had the pleasure of working with lots of schools, districts and community organizations […]
