July Family Newsletter

FAMILY NEWSLETTER

Dear Star Kids Families,

We hope you're enjoying a restful and fun summer so far! We are incredibly proud of all our students for finishing the school year strong.

Please take a moment to review the important reminders and updates below. Be sure to scroll to the end to celebrate our 8th and 12th grade graduates and see where they’ll be heading next year!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to support you.

Sincerely,

Karen Flanagan
Executive Director

Lindsey Haslam
Program Director

Briana Lachapelle
Program Coordinator

June and July Recap

Caddy Shack

We had an amazing end of year celebration at the Caddy Shack on June 29th. Those who joined us enjoyed cake, pizza, bumper boats and mini golf. Thank you to those who attended!

Pathways Bound Grant Ceremony

On June 24th, we proudly honored 10 high school graduates as they marked an exciting milestone. Each student received the Aletta Morris Pathways Bound Grant to support their transition into post-secondary education. Our graduates are pursuing a variety of paths—some heading to college, others enrolling in trade schools or certification programs to prepare for future careers. We’re incredibly proud of their achievements and can’t wait to see what they do next!

Summer Enrichment Workshops

Thanks to the generosity of a dedicated donor from the SWAP Foundation, students in grades 6–11 had the opportunity to participate in two summer enrichment workshops held on July 2nd and July 9th. Participants had a hands-on experience learning the basics of vinyl work and screen printing and they had a blast! The workshops sparked excitement for future events, and we’re hopeful to partner again soon to bring even more creative opportunities to our families.

Important Reminders

Summer Survey

Thank you to everyone who has already completed the summer camp survey! If you haven’t had a chance to fill it out yet, please take a few minutes to share your feedback. Please take the survey even if your child(ren) haven't participated in anything over the summer.

Complete the survey by September 1st to be entered into a drawing to win one of three $50 Amazon gift cards!

Take the Survey here: https://forms.office.com/r/QqcT1C4V7f

Updated Photo Permission Form

We recently sent an updated Photo Permission Form to all families. If you haven’t done so already, please take a moment to complete the form and return it to us by mail or email:

By Mail:
Star Kids Program
P.O. Box 6214
Middletown, RI 02842

By Email:
You can also take a photo of the completed form and send it to blachapelle@starkidsprogram.org.

Your response allows us to responsibly share photos and celebrate our students' achievements.

Volunteer Opportunity - Pell Bridge Run Bib Pick Up

We're looking for volunteers to help with bib pick-up on Friday, October 17th for the Citizens Pell Bridge Run.

If your child(ren) need community service hours for school, we'd be happy to complete any required forms for their participation.

It's a great way to get involved and support a fun community event!

Public School Students

As a reminder, if your Star Kid attends a public school, they are still a part of our program. As long as you continue to send us their report cards, the student remains eligible for wraparound support funding.

For more information, click here.

Resources

Free Student Hotspot Program

T-Mobile’s Project 10Million is a nationwide initiative to help bridge the digital divide for K–12 students by providing free internet access. Eligible families can receive a free hotspot with 200GB of data per month for up to five years, with no annual fees or re-certifications. An optional $10 data pass is also available. It only takes a few minutes to apply.

For more information, click here.

Child and Family - Family Care Community Partnership

This program provides support for housing insecurity, employment needs, mental health services, and much more to help families meet basic needs and reduce stress. Referrals can be made by anyone, including our team, and DCYF involvement is not required for participation.

More info: https://childandfamilyri.org/family-care-community-partnership/

Grandparent Resources

Grandparents Raising Grandkids: https://www.massgrg.com/massgrg_2019/index.html

Mental Health Resources

New Mental Health Resource
A Comprehensive Guide to Free Mental Health & Wellness Resources
To view, click here.

Star Kids Mental Health Resources Page: https://www.starkidsprogram.org/mental-health-resources/

Congratulations to our High School and 8th Grade Graduates! 🎓

Student Highlights

An 8th grader earned second place in his school's cooking contest with his dish, Shrimp Mozambique with pasta.
An 8th grader completed middle school with straight A’s and received multiple awards for her achievements.
A 5th grader was honored with his school’s Resilience Award.
An 11th grader presented her final showcase of the school year.
An 11th grader was cast as Izzy in her school’s production of School of Rock.
A 10th grader was inducted into the National Honor Society.
A 2nd grader is having a great time at Camp Marist, enjoying a two-week sleep-away experience in New Hampshire.
A 5th grader proudly participated in his school’s science fair.