Success Stories @ STARS
A truly heart-wrenching story that shows the extent our STARS counselors go to help students overcome the barriers to social and emotional success.
A STARS Counselor recently told us this story …
“I worked with this student on an on-going basis last year. The student was using drugs heavily. His mother kicked him out after he repeatedly relapsed on alcohol and marijuana and his father never stepped up. The student was in heavy denial and never followed up with recommendations to get outside help. His grades and attendance were terrible. He was on the verge of getting kicked out of school.
He was losing weight and was on probation, again. I worked with the School Social worker, and a benevolent parent to get him steady housing (off and on). We worked together to provide him with hygiene products, snacks, and food. The student was involved in a car accident in April, and lost numerous teeth. His mother told him that she was not going to help him with the dentist unless he graduated. He felt that it was a way to humiliate him. I worked with a dentist to do the work pro bono. After months of providing individual counseling services and case management (including getting him health insurance, food stamps, housing, and college prep) the student finally stopped using drugs and got back on track.
Best of all, he graduated and has been accepted to WKU, with housing and tuition paid. He stopped by the school to check in and let me know that he was leaving in a few weeks for college. He said something to the effect of, ‘I know that if I do the same stuff that I did, I will go back there.’ “
Need Support?
Local to Middle Tennessee?
Great news! STARS offers education tools to help you, your organization, school, peers, and young children know how they can be advocates for bullying prevention, providing prevention, intervention and treatment services addressing bullying, substance abuse, violence, and social and emotional barriers to success.
Check out our different programs that are geared toward a variety of age groups:
Kids On The Block: K -8th
Services for Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Move2Stand: 9th-12th
STARS Youth Overcoming Drug Abuse (YODA) program located in Nashville, TN provides compassionate care for adolescents and young adults with substance use and co-occurring disorders. YODA provides free treatment services to youth ages 13-18 who are uninsured or have insurance that will not pay for treatment.
Visit us at the Youth Opportunity Center 1704 Charlotte Ave Nashville, TN 37203 or visit our website
For referral & intake call our confidential line: (615) 983-6809
National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
