History

Success Through Adults Reaching Students (STARS) was created in Faribault County.  In 2001, citizens of the United South Central School District of Faribault County founded STARS to provide community-based mentoring to youth as a strategy for preventing youth risk behaviors. Tobacco settlement funds in the amount of $8,000 helped start the program.

• March, 2001–board of directors formed.

• June, 2001–board received incorporation certification status.

• December, 2001–received 501(c)3 status from the IRS.

• A part-time coordinator hired.

• Two federal grants helped program grow.

• July, 2006—STARS assumed responsibility for Community Mentor Connection (CMC), a youth mentoring program in Freeborn County. CMC had been providing mentors to youth since 1997, with help from the Family Services Collaborative, Freeborn County Department of Human Services.  It was originally a paid-mentor program and DHS no longer could fund the program.  A task force looked for ways to continue and chose STARS as the best option. Since then, STARS has provided mentors to youth in eastern Faribault County and all of Freeborn County.

• One joint board of directors operates both programs separately under STARS 501(c)3.  They both operate under the same policies and procedures.

• Now the official name of the program is called Success Through Adults Reaching Students, or STARS Mentoring Program.