My Experience with STARS
by Brett Lamberty, STARS Tutor
In the book Experiencing God, Dr. Henry Blackaby tells us to find out where God is working and get involved there. During the six years I have served with STARS, I have definitely seen God at work.
This year I’m working with Jacob, a first grader. At the beginning of the school year, Jacob could not read at all. I started working with him twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Now we are in the second semester of the school year and Jacob is reading. His teacher asked Jacob’s mother what she was doing with Jacob because he has progressed so much compared to the rest of his classmates who are still struggling to read. Jacob’s mother told the teacher about STARS and because of this the teacher is going to refer other students to the program. It is extremely satisfying to see Jacob reading at a first grade level. Even though I only have a few hours a week with him, the time is significant. Jacob is off to a great start!
The leadership of STARS is filled with a contagious spirit of love, faith, joy, dedication, and energy. I have seen God at work in all the STARS students: gaining confidence, taking on new challenges, praying for themselves, their families, each other, and the world around them. It has been gratifying to see some of the youth who started as STARS students return to serve as tutors and program staff.
It is inspiring to see the body of Christ at work among the tutors and staff. Together, we bring different skills, experiences, gifts, and temperaments to the program. One tutor who is stronger in math helps another one guide a student through an algebra problem. Another tutor who has more artistic skills can help a student create a stunning poster for a class project. Each evening it is fun to look around the room and see the wide variety of people serving as tutors: men, women, junior highers, and retirees, just to name a few.
I have found the STARS families are very warm, welcoming, and grateful for our efforts. The generosity, hospitality, and mutual support among these families has been a lesson to me. One of the great “fringe benefits” of STARS has been the opportunity to get to know the students and their families outside of tutoring time.
I consider it a privilege to be one member of a much larger team that is loving children in our neighborhood for Jesus’ sake. We definitely have room for many more team members. Please consider this opportunity: as a way to make a difference in the life of a child, as a way to share the love and hope of Jesus Christ, as a way to advance God’s kingdom, and as a way to break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness. Please consider this as an opportunity for you to get involved!
The Most Important Goal
by Emily White Hodge, Volunteer & Donor Relations Director
Scoring goals is Carlos’ specialty. In fact, he is so talented, that he scored three goals in his first game and went on to duplicate that effort several times more in his first season in AYSO soccer.
Carlos attends the STARS after school tutoring program where he works on his homework with Wendell Watts, a long-time STARS tutor and mentor. One evening at STARS, Carlos mentioned he had applied for AYSO soccer at this school but had not heard anything, even though, he thought the season had already started. Wendell made a few phone calls and finally reached the right person. A couple days later Carlos’ mother brought the proper paper work and got him signed up for the balance of the season.
Wendell took Carlos to his first soccer game. Carlos scored three goals! When Wendell arrived at the next game he saw that Carlos’ parents were already there, cheering Carlos and his team on. In fact, his parents became so involved, that they took him to all his practices and begun attending all of the games along with other family members. Wendell recalls how great it was to see Carlos doing so well at something he loved and has a real talent for and seeing the encouragement and support he was receiving from his family.
Carlos got really sick during the last game of the season. In fact, he was so sick that he had to sit out during part of the game. However, as his team began to fall behind, Carlos (as the most consistent goal scorer) and still not feeling well, asked to be put back into the game. Though his team didn’t win that final game, Carlos scored a more important goal. Through his hard work & dedication, along with the support of his parents and the STARS program, not only has he become a great soccer player, but his grades have improved and the community has come together - scoring the most important goal of all.
