Shooting for the Stars
by Kevin Fritz
Aspire Health Partners, a 501(c)(3) behavioral healthcare organization, recently rolled out a new initiative to help local students become shining stars in the face of adversity.
Known as Star, the initiative was an offshoot of Aspire’s successful New Horizons program, which offers no-cost counseling services at several middle and high schools in Seminole County.
Funded through a grant from the Westgate Foundation, Star was designed for students who have already been counseled through New Horizons – a 16-session program that assists at-risk kids with developing communication and coping skills.
“There is a flow to the New Horizons sessions,” explains clinical manager Crystal Conley, “starting with an awareness of a student’s surroundings and their feelings.”
The New Horizons curriculum is broken into four sections of interactive, engaging programming related to substance abuse, communication, anger management, and coping. Last year, New Horizons served 667 students in 10 schools with 15 licensed or master’s level counselors.
Those who completed all 16 sessions – and had not graduated or moved away – were chosen to participate in the Star initiative. In May, 148 students participated in Star’s experiential activities, learning the importance of leadership by positive example and how to bounce back from adversity.
Led by several New Horizons counselors, including Zach Fikru – the veteran of the group – the students attended two sessions over a two-day period. Each Star session had a ratio of approximately 10 students to one counselor.
Susan Nuckols, New Horizons director, says because the participants had already learned all-important coping skills, Star took their progress a step further. At the Star sessions, students were taught specific tips focusing on resiliency, as well as leadership and substance use education.
Leading by Example
“An important objective of the program was to prepare Star graduates to share lessons they have learned with their community at school,” says Susan.
Carrie Dembowski, a New Horizons counselor at Lake Mary High School, found that the students enjoyed the leadership aspect of the Star program and looked forward to leading by example through resiliency.
“There are big ways and small ways we can bounce back from a setback,” notes Carrie.
Adds Brinley Moretti, who counsels at Teague Middle School: “The kids learned that everyone can be leaders. They may be unsure at first, but we all have the ability to lead.”
Kierstin Fenimore, a Tuskawilla Middle School counselor, says the program resonated with students who were struggling in other ways.
“We had one homeless student, and she said the program gave her hope for the future,” says Kierstin. “Social skills we taught during the program are helping her cope with the challenges she faces.”
The Westgate Foundation grant also supported the purchase of wristbands and T-shirts with the Star logo to remind students of what they’d learned and accomplished. The black shirts, emblazoned with a star on the front, carry the message New Leaders, New Opportunities, New Horizons on the back. The wristbands simply feature the image of a star.
The Star participants have since worn their T-shirts and wristbands proudly, and many have talked to their peers about the virtues of counseling.
Some of the most impactful messages of the Star program have been incorporated into the New Horizon curriculum.
“We would do Star again,” adds program manager Sally Moore, if more grant funding became available. “From what the counselors are saying, the kids loved the activities and messages that were part of Star.”
According to the counselors, the students especially appreciated hearing the iconic Starfish Story, with its messages of hope, determination, and the belief that one person can make a difference in the world.
Said one student: “I liked the Starfish Story the most because it showed how to lead by example. I usually have a hard time standing up for my own beliefs and the story explained why I should for me rather than others.”