To STARS,

I wish that there was more, but all I can do is thank you for your life-saving program and tell you what you did for me. 

My sophomore year of high school I was caught cutting in geometry class.  It was the first time in a long time that I had done it, but I couldn’t stop myself.  The school nurse took me to talk to Mrs. Sheets who was, and still is, in charge of the STARS at Hendersonville High School.  From that day forward I was apart of STARS.  The very first group meeting I sat on the farthest corner of the couch    and didn’t speak, shaking the whole time.  

Gradually, the girls and Mrs. Sheets gained my trust and helped me begin to heal. I did not settle in quickly.  I was very hesitant to attend because I thought that there was no way the girls in my group could understand my clinical depression or anxiety disorder.  What I learned was that not only did they understand, but many lived with worse.  I was accepted with open arms and encouraged every step of the way.  I had already been in therapy for a year, but having this extra resource at school is what got me through.  I’m a freshmen in college now and prepared to deal what   comes my way because of STARS and the girls I met.  Mrs. Sheets is an amazing woman; she put up with an awful lot from all of us “damaged” girls, but she met us with love and words of wisdom.  She never judged any of us, nor did she make us feel like we had failed when we relapsed into old habits, mine being cutting, other girls drinking or whatever it was we did to make ourselves feel something other than broken and get through the day. She lifted us up and I will be forever grateful to STARS for having such a great program and bringing that amazing woman into my life and so many others. 

If I could give advice to other students, it would be to give STARS a chance.  There really is a future out there for us, and it really does get better.  Have faith in God, because He will lift us up.  Nothing is ever hopeless and no matter how badly we’ve screwed up, the sun is still going to rise in the morning.  Every day is a new chance, a new beginning.  

I hope this helps! If there is ever anyway that I can be involved in STARS again, I would love to be able to help.  I wish all of you the best and thank you again!

Yours Very Truly, 

Mary Beth Sadler

I want to thank you, Mr. Rico, for being there for me and helping me be strong.  You turned my sad face to a smile and I wanna thank you for everything you did to  help me get through some of the pain I go through.  You don’t know how I feel right now.  You did so much for me.  Thank you for being there for me.

I am very pleased to announce as of July 1, students, families and schools across the Middle Tennessee area will see expanded services with the adoption of several programs to address substance use and abuse by adolescents.

Formerly under the direction of the Alcohol and Drug Council of Middle Tennessee, STARS has adopted the Youth Overcoming Drug Abuse (YODA), Recovery Support Services and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Prevention Services.

STARS has been providing support to young people and families impacted by substance abuse for the last 27 years. We are thrilled to deepen our commitment to the prevention and intervention of substance abuse within our schools and the community. The adoption of these programs complements the mission of STARS to help reduce barriers to learning including substance use and violence.

The Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program assists young people who do not have access to appropriate care for their substance abuse problems. The Addiction Recovery Program provides individual and group counseling with case management focusing on substance abuse and will continue in a modified format focusing on adolescents up to the age of 22 and young families who are appropriate for a Strengthening Families (SFP) or Incredible Years Program, both existing programs of STARS.

The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Prevention Program is an extremely important child and adolescent program due to the high correlation of substance abuse in families impacted by this particular impairment. The scope of services provided through the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Prevention Program range from family work to in-school drug and alcohol prevention as well as after-school programs and camps with post-secondary education support.

Each of these programs has provided young people and their families with important help in both the prevention of substance abuse as well as more intense care for those already harmfully involved. These programs have proved invaluable to many and STARS is excited to be able to provide these essential services to our community.

For an informal discussion with new program leaders, visit our YouTube page at www.youtube.com/starsnashville.