Supporting and Training of At-Risk Students (STARS) Project: A Preventative and Proactive Program

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

The Supporting and Training of At-Risk Students (STARS) program is designed to combat the disproportionately high rates of school dropouts, alcohol and drug abuse, lack of parental involvement, gang-related activity, and victimization of youth in the barrio of Corpus Christi, Texas. During the past five years, the program has served over 1,000 families. The program has expanded to include family date nights, conflict resolution classes, a youth leadership component, and GED support for students. Funding will allow the College of Education to continue to offer these programs at the Garcia Center. This year, family programs will be implemented in sites throughout the community and a psycho-educational component will be added for 5-12 year-olds attending an after school program. All the STARS components will implement research-based strategies. The organization seeks to help 250 families through STARS programming.

The goals of the project are as follows: 1) Program staff will provide initial and follow-up assessments for project participants; 2) Program staff will provide research-based, prevention and intervention curricula for project participants; 3) Program staff will provide safe, effective individualized counseling services for clients that indicate the need for service; 4) Program staff will provide career advising and access to employment for student participants; 5) Program staff will continue to offer 'Family Night Out' programming in an effort to enhance social, emotional, and psychological development and to strengthen family cohesiveness and unity; 6) Program staff will promote skills that contribute to the effective expression of emotions and stress management strategies; and 7) Program staff will work with students attending an after school program to promote skills that enhance students' problem solving and coping skills which in turn will promote their school success.

Performance measures will include both short and long term goals. The program will measure percent of program participants that complete the program, changes in social competence, truancy and grade point averages to name a few.

NCA/NCF