News and Inspiration 11

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(L to R) Lisa Santamaria, Boardmember, Lea Cash, Founder, Isaiah Washington, and
Cynthia Frazer, Boardmember

August 2011

Book signing fundraiser for The Brightest Star, Inc

Isaiah Washington, award winning actor formerly known as Grey's Anatomy Dr. Preston Burke, has written a book titled "A Man From Another Land" where he explores the issues of self-image, race and identity. Through DNA testing he discovers his roots to be in Sierra Leone, West Africa. He is inspiring the world to live your life with purpose and to never give up on your dreams.

Washington feels his purpose is to help the people of Sierra Leone.
He has build a school for 300 children from six villages. Built clean water wells and donated thousands of medical supplies through the nonprofit organization he founded Gondobay Manga Foundation.

He desires to change the lives of 1 million children in Sierra Leone--one village, on region at a time. Many children due to the past civil wars in this country have been abused, abandoned and orphaned. We are honored to support Mr. Washington to assist his cause in serving the needs of abused and abandoned children.

June/2011

Assembly Member Carter is presented with a plaque from Lea Michelle Cash, founder and executive director of the Brightest Star, Inc., for her support and sponsorship of a recent event honoring National Foster Care Awareness Month.

Co-Chair Board member Cynthia Renee Frazier presents plaque to restaurant manager Bobby Tsigkounis, of George's Burgers for their generous financial support for three years during National Foster Care Awareness Month.

Left to Right
Sylvia Deporto, Assistant Director, Riverside County Department of Children Services; Deanna Avery-Motikeit, Director of San Bernardino Children's Services; Al Mason, President & CEO of McKinley Children's Center, Gwen Knotts, President & CEO of Knotts Family and Parenting Institute; Julissa Castillo, Executive Director, McKinley Children's Center Foster Family Agency; Chris Warner, Celebrity; Dan Maydeck, President & CEO of Leroy Haynes Children's Center; Natalie Desselle Reid, celebrity, George Bowser, Principal of Bob Murphy Community Day School, Lea Cash, Director of Brightest Star; Kara Hunter, Director of CASA of San Bernardino; Lisa SaintaMarie, Board member of Brightest Star; StevenWiliams, celebrity; Ron Storm, Director of Hillview Home for Children.

Missing from the photo opt are
Tisha Langley, Director of Mental Health Services, Leroy Haynes; Julie Bruner, Director of Foster Care Programs, Trinity Services, John Neiuber, Chief Executive Director, Trinity Youth Services, Bobby Tsigkounis, Owner/Manager of George's Burgers; Charles Rich, Executive Director of David & Margaret, Youth & Family Services.

                    National Foster Care Awareness Month/May 2011
                                 Our "Shining Star Awards" Honorees



We had a wonderful time. We would like to thank all who assisted in someway with this very special event. We especially want to thank, actress
Constance Marie Lopez, Assemblymember Wilmer Amina Carter, and Teresa Hunt for their financial donations.  And our celebrities for being so awesome in donating their valuable time to our very special endeavors.

A special thank you goes out to all of the students at The Art Insitute of California-Inland Empire and Fashion show coordinator/Instructor Cecilia Ng.

Rocky Rios (Community Activist)

Ms. Cash and Randy Jackson

George Bowser and
Chandra Wilson

April & May 2011

The Brightest Star was a vendor at The 4th Annual C.A.S.A of San Bernardino
& Youth Action Project (YAP) Walk in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention & Awareness Month. Pictured here is longtime community activist for children rights Rocky Rios.

Pia Toscano Casey Abrams Jacob Lusk

The Brightest Star youths, spent the day on the set of American Idol where they met the Idols, judges and celebrities. A special thanks to Jason, Missy, Yi, Brian, and Nolisa for helping to set this up. The kids had the time of their lives. You guys rock! And thank you for making a difference.

A very special "THANK YOU" to George Bowser, Principal of Bob Murphy Community Day School, and to Josie Gonzales, San Bernardino County Board of Supervisor, 5th District for a very generous mini grant to host an 8-week after school self-esteem building workshop for foster youth in her district.

A very special thank you to all our honored visiting guests, Mark Seay, former NFL alumnus, Cythnia Frazier, CEO, Teck Divas, Nahomie Moise, LMFT and actress Chandra Wilson from the television show "Grey's Anatomy".

Veronica Kelly and Michelle Dusick San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health
Directors

March, 2011

The Brightest Star, Inc. executive director and founder graduated in March along with fifteen other non-profit organizations from the ASPIRE Progam designed under the Mental Health Service Act, training project to build the capacity of emerging nonprofits in San Bernardino County under the leadership of Jennifer Vaughn Blakely, a capacity building consultant.

Andre Bossieux, Program Manager for San Bernardino County's Transitional Youth (TAY Center)