Star Program Scholarship Fund
for Challenged and At Risk Youth
In 2001, The Culture House created the STAR Program to educate challenged and at-risk youth in the arts, personal growth, life skills and civics. Today the STAR Program reaches over 200 youth in the Kansas City area on a weekly basis. In 2004, The Ozanam School contracted with The Culture House to teach the STAR Program to its student body as part of their daily curriculum. In addition to Ozanam, the STAR Program works with a growing list of local youth organizations.
From youth living in stable situations to our most challenged young people removed from their homes by the court, there is a growing need for quality activities that educate and inspire our future leaders and citizens towards greatness and successful living. Most necessary are programs led by specialists who can bring a level of excellence that inherently inspires young people to rise to their highest potential. This also prepares them for success in the fields of their choice as well as in their family life.
Through local community organizations, The Culture House provides instructors to train local youth that would otherwise be unable to afford arts education or able to attend regular classes. Each young person that enrolls in the STAR program has the opportunity for training in:
- Dance and/or music, according to their field of interest
- Life-skills in such subjects as family life, conflict resolution, perfectionism, budgeting, auditioning, etiquette, and civics.
- Performance in small ensembles and/or The Culture House Youth Performance groups
We have established specific goals and tracking criteria to assess each student’s progress to ensure optimum gain from participation.
Currently, The Culture House is partnering with the following organizations:
Ozanam School for Boys & Girls
Mt. Carmel Community Center
Gillis Boys Home
Kansas Academy of Theatrical Arts
Second Mile Youth Organization
Freedom Fire
The Hope Center
Sheffield Family Life Center
Arts education in general has shown to enhance success in overall academics. The act of learning a skill in a craft and then immediately putting it into practice strengthens student’s abilities to retain knowledge and see it as useful. More importantly, arts education is a creative endeavor allowing even the youngest of students to take new knowledge and create something new with it. This empowers students at a very young age to apply knowledge in a creative and problem solving way. The Culture House staff is full of highly skilled professionals coming from such accomplishments as working with the Royal Ballet of London, recipients of the Carol Burnett Award, grants from the Swedish National Board of Culture, Artistic Directors of dance companies, music ensembles and accomplished musicians.
Goals:
- To continue to improve the quality of our efforts with youth
- To expand to educate 250 per week
- To establish an annual performance event for all STAR youth to participate in.
Non-profit organizations who work with at-risk-youth in the Kansas City metro area may apply for a STAR partnership simply by filling out an Organization Profile Form and sending it to The Culture House for consideration.
If you would like to financially support the STAR program and help us provide this high quality education and life-changing experience for these young people, we would sincerely appriciate it. The effect in their lives and in our society will be significant and tangible.
