The Starfinder Foundation's Programs Enhance the Personal Growth of Underserved Youth through Soccer and Learning Experiences that Engage, Inspire, and Motivate

The OJJDP FY 10 Earmarks Program furthers 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 Conference Report to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 111-366 at 702-714.

Starfinder programs enhance the personal growth of underserved youth through soccer and learning experiences that engage, inspire, and motivate. Starfinder strives to improve life skills, attitudes, and behaviors of participants, focusing particularly on preventing risk behaviors that can lead to gang involvement. Starfinder serves youth ages 6-18 who in underserved and often very depressed areas of Philadelphia. Approximately 55% of participants are male and 45% female, with 60% minorities and recent immigrants. Starfinder delivers structured, sequenced, and active programming, providing year-round learning opportunities that foster physical, intellectual, social, and emotional growth. Participants engage in programming as Future Leaders (ages 6-11), Junior Leaders (ages 12-14), and Senior Leaders (ages 15-18). Each program includes academic enrichment, health and nutrition education, team building, leadership skills development, and soccer instruction. Programs operate at regional elementary and middle schools, charter schools, recreation centers, and Starfinder Urban Promise Center. Starfinder will collect program results from youth, parents, teachers, and staff through surveys. Starfinder will collect academic performance and social conduct data via school report cards. This data will be synthesized and analyzed for each program outcome. NCA/NCF