I joined Five Star because…
We recently visited one our Five Star Life schools and asked some of the students and coaches to share some thoughts they have about Five Star… sometimes, a long post isn’t needed. Sometimes, it’s more impactful to just read the comments and thoughts straight from the people that feel the firsthand impact of our programming:
“I joined Five Star to improve myself. Five Star has helped me become more comfortable with myself and has helped me raise my grades dramatically. In general, the value I have really learned is to be myself and not change for anyone else other than myself.” – Alexis, 8th grade
“If I didn’t join Five Star my grades would be much lower. Without all the encouragement to keep my grades up from 
my coach and my team, I wouldn’t be doing well in school. Five Star helps you learn how to do many things for the first time that you may not know you like to do.” – Dayton, 8th grade
“It’s fun to be a student in Five Star. I love my team and my coach. My coach is always interested in what I have to say and encourages me when I feel down. Five Star has taught me to truly love my life and really respect others. Five Star is a place that everyone belongs and can feel welcome, encouraged and safe.” – Evionna, 8th grade
“I joined Five Star because my sister was in it and it seemed fun to be apart of… and it is! My favorite thing about Five Star is my team and my coaches. On a team you get to work on things together and do things together under your coach who helps and encourages you. I went on my first Day Trip a few weeks back, it rained really hard most of the day but it was still so much fun! We got to see horses, do archery, high ropes course, and so much more. Out of all of the Five Star Core Values, I would say that responsibility is the most impactful for me because it has taught me to treat myself and my belongings better.” – Samarah, 7th grade
“Looking back on 7th grade, I realize that things were not going so well for me. My parents were recently divorced and that took a toll on me and my attitude in school, I got in lots of fights and I was suspended twice. By the end of 7th grade, Five Star kind of helped me get my life back together. By 8th grade, I was starting to get myself together. I wasn’t in any fights anymore, I stopped causing trouble and I just needed to get my grades up. Five Star really helped with that. When I graduated, I was near the top of my class! Seeing that Five Star cared is what changed me. Once I realized that my coach cared for me and just wanted to be in my life is when the true change happened.
We just recently had our Five Star Day Trip and I was helping on ropes course. There were a few kids on an obstacle and, as I was transferring them onto another obstacle, I was coaching them and telling them they could complete the course. One of the students looked back at me and said that it was thanks to my coaching that he was able to complete the obstacle. After that moment, I realized why I’m still a part of Five Star.” – Coach Tristin, former Five Star student
“Today, there are so many negative influences in our world and I feel compelled to be a part of something positive and that’s why I am here. Each session you have with the students is so powerful because you just never know when the student is going to “get it.” It can be that week, the next week, or maybe even a few years down the road and you may never see it, but the sessions for me are the most powerful and impactful times. I would say that my students learn just as much from me as I learn from them. There are so many stories I have of watching my students grow… it is an unimaginable and unexplainable feeling and it is something I would never change!” – Coach John
