Closing the Achievement Gap

Constellations: The Stars newsletter November 2010

IN THIS ISSUE

The Stars Came out!

FEATURED ARTICLE

Preschoolers meet the Commissioner

Volunteer Days

Annual Appeal

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Annual Appeal "Avatar" Donation Link

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Stars 40 Under 40 Event

& 40th Birthday Celebration

Great Food, Great Music, Great People, Great Cause!

Many thanks to all those who came out on September 24th for Stars' 40th. The event raised over $110,000 to support our educational programs.....AND it was fun!

Jackson Wetherbee performs at 40 Under 40

Check out event photos here.

Giving Thanks:

Alma's Kids Donate Turkey Dinners

Friends Madison Wahlberg and Tiffany St. Croix, sixth grade students from Hingham, wanted to do something for needy families this holiday season.

With help from their restaurateur dads, Paul Wahlberg and Ed St. Croix - partners in the Hingham restaurant Alma Nove - they arranged to provide and deliver organic frozen turkeys to brighten holiday tables. Calling their endeavor "Alma's Kids", the girls hope build on the idea and grow it for next year's holiday.

On Tuesday Madison and Tiffany brought 25 of those turkeys to us to be distributed to our Early Head Start Stars families in Randolph & Holbrook.
Tiffany & Madison with dads Paul & Ed after loading the Stars van full of turkeys!

Tiffany St. Croix & Madison Wahlberg

Alma's Kids Logo on a boxed turkey

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Stars

200 Middle Street

East Weymouth, MA 02189

(781) 331-8505

Mission Statement:
Stars provides comprehensive early education and youth programs, using a family support approach, that enhance the development of children from economically and culturally diverse families through collaboration with parents, schools and communities.

Closing the Achievement Gap:

U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Early Childhood Initiative

Why invest in Early Education? ....The U.S. Chamber's Institute for a Competitive Workforce (ICW) report outlines the connection between quality early education programs and the development of a viable workforce.

"Global competition for human talent and innovation, long-standing educational achievement gaps, low high school graduation rates, and the pending retirement of 77 million baby boomers have placed tremendous workforce pressures on American business," ICW states in the introduction to its newly released report "Ready, Set Go! Why Business Should Support Early Childhood Education."

The report also summarizes research demonstrating the educational and economic benefits of high-quality early education.

Download the Full Report

Early Education Commissioner

Visits Weymouth Preschool Stars

Department of Early Education and Care (DEEC) Commissioner Sherri Killins joined Stars' Weymouth preschoolers and staff for a morning of activities in celebration of Family Literacy Month. Stars' R.I.S.E. (Reading Is So Exciting) program has been recognized as an innovative model that encourages and trains paren Commissioner Killins

ts to promote early reading skills. The Commissioner participated in a classroom HomeLINKS activity based on the book Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh.

Fall Volunteer Days

Thank you to our fall Volunteer partners:

NORDSTOM South Shore Plaza Employees

CLARK UNIVERSITY Alumni

STATE STREET United Way Community Care Crew

MILTON ACADEMY Students

Volunteer crews closed our campsite at Hale Reservation; painted and cleaned classrooms at Randolph preschool; assembled Early Head Start curriculum kits; and raked leaves and painted classrooms at Quincy Preschool. Many, many thanks for all your hard work!

Nordstrom's Marisol, Jillian & Abigail

Volunteers from Nordstrom's South Shore Plaza store traveled to Weymouth and helped assemble Early Head Start Curriculum kits for our Family Child Care homes.

Clark University Alumni Group at Quincy Preschool

Milton Academy students spent a rainy September day cleaning and painting Randolph Preschool Stars classrooms.

United Way Community Care Day with State Street Global volunteers at our Hale Reservation campsite