First Star’s Academies are a long-term college-prep program for high school students in foster care. We keep our scholars on track for high school graduation and prepare them for higher education and adulthood by providing specialized programming that addresses the academics, life skills, and adult supports unique to students in foster care.

4 year college prep. program for foster youth focused on academics and life skills through monthly and summer residential programming on a university campus.

Offered to scholars who graduate the Academy as a resource during their transition to adulthood.

Weekly mentoring and tutoring sessions, as well as an open environment to connect and build community through virtual hangouts.

Seminars and workshops that provide tools to caregivers to become advocates for their youth.

Leadership opportunity for scholars focused on becoming civically engaged and enacting change in their local communities.

Monthly virtual sessions and access to online courses that focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math.

The First Star Academies keep youth on track for high school graduation, and prepare them for higher education and adulthood by providing specialized programming that addresses: (1) academics; (2) life skills; and (3) caregiver and mentor engagement.

Foster youth have the poorest education outcomes in the country because of school instability and unaddressed special education needs. By third grade, more than 80% are retained, and by eleventh grade, less than 20 percent are proficient in English or Math. Only half of foster youth ever graduate high school, and only three percent earn a college degree.

The Academies reverse these trends for participating youth through targeted academic instruction and education advocacy. During the Summer Academies and monthly sessions, experienced instructors teach the youth grade-specific content and provide remedial supports as needed. These instructors also provide PSAT and SAT/ACT prep to ensure the youth are competitive during the college admissions process. Academies review youths’ school records, track their progress towards high school graduation, and identify and secure any supports they need to succeed in school. The Academies strive to work with the youths’ caregivers, social workers, attorneys, and schools to develop a coordinated academic plan for high school graduation and admissions to higher education.

Foster youth often lack the skills needed to successfully transition into adulthood. Upon aging out of the system, they are often expected to independently manage their education, employment, housing, healthcare, and finances without the support of other adults. The Academies develop a life skills workshop curriculum to ensure the youth are prepared for adulthood. Workshops include topics such as higher education, budgeting, identity theft, housing, hygiene, healthy relationships, and substance abuse.

Too often, foster youth repeatedly move placements and exit foster care without any family or permanent adult supports. The Academies strive to work with attorneys and social workers to ensure youth are in appropriate foster homes, and then engage caregivers to ensure they have the supports needed to keep youth in their homes. Where appropriate, biological parents are engaged and supported to help with the reunification process. In addition, by working with local partners, the Academies identify and train peer mentors (often former foster youth) who provide additional support to the youth as they transition into higher education. The goal of these efforts is to ensure that youth transition into adulthood with a team who can provide ongoing and continued support.