First Star Family

First Star improves the lives of foster youth by partnering with child welfare agencies, universities, and school districts to ensure foster youth have the academic, life skills, and adult supports needed to successfully transition to higher education and adulthood. With 13 Academies nationwide, we pursue our mission through innovative college-preparatory programs, providing technical assistance to stakeholders, and advocating for policy change. First Star Academies show foster youth across the nation that they belong on a university campus and give them the tools to get there by providing 4-year, year round programming for high school transition age foster youth. Teenagers in foster care often get the 'short end of the stick,' in that they have the toughest time finding a forever family and as a result habitually struggle to remain in school and do well. At First Star, we are reversing those trends; our scholars have a 98% graduation rate and an 89% college entrance rate, less placement instability and remarkable educational outcomes. Please join our family and take a closer look at First Star by watching our First Star Family video, it captures the 'it' factor - the thesis by which our model is firmly planted on - family, and how four years of consistent adult mentorship, university exposure, care, and thoughtfulness, can uplift lives.