The Brightest Star, Inc. (BSI) programs operate through a wide variety of activities to cover different
therapeutic formats to promote healing, self-esteem and dream building. Therefore, our culminating experiences can take multi forms and dimensions; such as providing a special field trip or celebrity visit for a single struggling minor, or for a larger group of children in need of inspiration, and motivation to enhance important life skills associated with goal setting and believing in the possibilities of being successful and productive citizens. We aim to build dreams one child at a time if that needs to be the case.
Three mainstay anchors are taught collectively and operate throughout our workshops, activities, and events, building self worth, and responsibility for one’s actions as a way of life and living. Hence, as an ongoing process, we encourage our youth to cooperate, collaborate, work as a team and/or individually, to reduce aggressive, negative and inappropriate social (inter and intra) personal behaviors.
We are somewhat unique in that our approach, by operating with a “whatever it takes” attitude within each anchor, helping us to think out of the box to make an impact on changing young lives.
They are: Character Building, Skill Building and Dream Building
Within these mainstay anchors are a variety of lessons, tools and activities that meet our youths often times very high complex needs, towards discovering how beautiful they are.
For example, in character buildings youths learn the importance of being trustworthy, respectful, caring and responsible for their actions. Compassion education is strongly stressed, along with gratitude, forgiveness and standing up for what is right even if you are standing alone. Being tolerate and accepting of others uniqueness, quirks and differences is highly discussed, along with displaying good manners and consideration for others feelings. We find peaceful ways for youths to deal with anger, insults and disagreements that hurt.
In skill building, our first and foremost activity is encouraging and practicing active listening. Communicating and enhancing one’s strengths and resiliency, developing positive commitments to drug-free lives, responsible decision-making, and positive coping strategies, expressing and dealing with feelings.
Dreams begin to unfold, like magic with consistency as young ones begin to BELIEVE and IMAGINE that their life has VALUE. They begin to explore what drives them. Seeds are planted and goals begin to form roots. Dialogue begins about things they plan to do with their lives, or achieve in their lifetime.
The BSI program service activities are:
Foster Care and Adoption Awareness Advocacy—Promoting the belief that every child deserves a loving, permanent family to call their own. There are thousands of children waiting to be adopted. They are struggling and thriving in our nation’s foster care systems.
Self-Esteem Building Workshops—Designed to boost self-esteem and healthy mental wellness. Being worthy, learning to acknowledge, celebrate and honor, uniqueness and positive inner qualities of one’s self—appreciating my creativity, forgiving myself and others, and understanding and affirming my values.
Celebrity Motivational Visits—Largely designed to inspire, motivate, and empower the ability to set goals, overcome challenges and obstacles and most importantly to believe in the power of having a dream.
Behavioral and Cultural Enrichment activities and fieldtrips—Designed to inspire and motivate exposure to different environments, cultures, and special circumstances from celebrity invitations. Positive friendship and relationship building. Special projects funded for drug free awareness, non violence, career planning, job skills, college preparation, financial aid awareness, life skills and youth leadership development.
K-12 Educational Support (AB-490)—To assist foster parents, Kinship care and foster youth with bureaucracy and red tape of school systems. Community partner in Team Decision Making (TDMs), and
Special education IEP meetings.
Supportive Services to “aged out” and “emancipated transitional foster youth” —Providing living necessities (when available) to former foster youth as they set out to live life on their own.
New (Works in Progress this year)
Brightest Star Ambassador Program—(Foster Care & Adoption Awareness Advocacy) Schools will adopt an orphanage in another country. And the Lift Up America-Ambassador of Compassion Program--offered to middle and high school students that desire to make a difference in their communities.
Foster to Famous—Assisting former foster youth that are now in college to use their voices for other foster youths in the system. Promoting volunteerism and giving back to their community. Leadership development
within the readiness for workforce sustainability and success.