ASTEROIDEA | MAY 2019, FIRST EDITION | Starfish Intiative

MAY 2019

ASTEROIDEA First Edition

DOUBLE

THE IMPACT

BOARD MEMBERS

TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from Gisele Coming Full Circle From Scholar, to Alum, to Mentor The Story of Adriana Zermeno

The M. A. T. C. H. Specialists Mediators, Advocates, Trailblazers, Champions, & Hearts for Marion County Teens

Doubling the Impact Our Goal to Serve More Marion County Teens

Connecting with Starfish 2019-2020 Event Calendar

Donald Agin, Jr. Aylin Bartlett Jane Beaman Karen Daugherty Mike Feeney Craig Fortner – Intern Tom Funk Steve Gillman Lori Greene Monique Jackson - Intern Eric Johnson Thomas Lazard Patrick Lenihan Tom Malasto Mike McCann Angela Michael Gisela Miller Ryan Miller Dawn Moore Dan Nierste William E. Padgett Tonya Lengar Sanders Teresa Shaffer David E. Van Reken, M.D. Vincent Viveros Emily A. Wilson Gisele Garraway **

CREATIVE SERVICES Girt Enterprises, LLC

For additional info contact Jennifer McCloud at jennifer@starfishinitiative.org

DOUBLING THE IMPACT

425

850

GISELE GARRAWAY

BY FALL 2022!

President & CEO Dear friend of Starfish,

inspire and encourage. I wish I could stockpile

Defying

statistics.

The

every

toothy

smile

and

Starfish

happy tear I saw shared as parents and

Initiative team recently feted the 2019

Mentors jointly beamed with pride

graduating Scholars and their Mentors

around their graduates. Over 75% of

at our annual senior celebration! Our

this class can claim to be the first in

cohort of 93 high school seniors

their family to gain acceptance to a

has collectively earned 450 college

4-year university.

acceptances and over $6.5MM in scholarship dollars. Statistics suggest

This year’s class continues to give

that Starfish teens–Indianapolis kids

credence to our belief that access to a

who battle various sorts of unearned

college-educated mentor is the most

adversity will not make it to college. Yet,

potent engine of economic mobility.

after 4 years of Starfish programming with a custom matched Mentor at

Thank you Scholars, Mentors and

their side, these young people are

Starfish Match Specialists who remind

indeed going to college and charting

me every day that each of us can

a course out of poverty.

change the world--one relationship at a time. Please enjoy the Starfish stories

Most

of

Scholar-

and highlights included in this first

Mentor pairs have been together

edition of Asteroidea. Join our mission:

for four years. Durable, goal-based

become a mentor or make a donation

mentorship creates lasting bonds that

to give the gift of rigorous college and

deliver social dividends we all can be

career preparation to a deserving teen.

proud of.

the

graduating

Starfish Mentors prepare,

“ Coming Full Circle From Scholar, to Alum, to Mentor The Story of Adriana Zermeno Marian University, Class of 2015, Bachelor of Psychology, Minors in Sociology and Spanish. Adriana is a Bilingual Executive Assistant for Faith In Indiana and is a community organizer. She enjoys Latin dancing, she is an artist (painter), and is involved in community theater.

A

driana recalled applying for the Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program as an 8th grader. Excited to receive the big manila envelope that held the promise of being a 21st Century Scholar Adriana,

along with her mom, attended an informational meeting that offered a way to pay for college and a partner in the journey to college, Starfish Initiative. The office, then located on Delaware Street was the backdrop for Adriana and her mom’s first interaction with Starfish. A rising freshmen went through the interview process.

“It was a little intimidating as a 13 or 14 year old.” It was natural for Adriana to be a part of something else, mirroring her involvement in school activities. Adriana’s first scholar-mentor relationship did not work out. She was re-matched later in the fall. “My first mentor

“

It just feels right to be able to impact someone and gently teach our future leaders their capacity and help them find their voice.

and I didn’t work out, we were too different. She didn’t build relationally with me and expected too much of me.” The mentor Adriana was re-matched with, Carol, would turn out to be the perfect complement and type of mentor Adriana needed for the road she would travel. “Bummed” that her first mentor didn’t work out, she was hesitant but she saw the energy and enthusiasm Carol exuded and was able to connect when she walked in the small little office for the meeting. “She embodied everything I wanted for myself.” Carol also reassured my mom that I would be safe.

Adriana appreciated that Carol asked questions to learn more about those things that interested her and shared arts and culture, experience she desired to have but had been unattainable. “It was great to see that there was more to the world than what I knew and to be respected as a person at 15 Years old.”

As their scholar-mentor relationship continued, dynamics in the

personal life of Adriana’s family changed, Adriana saw Carol’s support. “She was there to provide emotional support, but never stepped in where she was not invited.” This cross-generational relationship continues, as Carol lives in another state and Adriana’s stints of living abroad.

Adriana is the lived out expression of the academically promising teen who in the face of unearned adversity achieved the goal of college access and completion through the support of a committed mentor and parents whose desire it is to see their child achieve.“ Adriana’s soul is very connected to serving others.

Asked to speak to the seniors of 2015, the seed was planted to become a mentor. After attending the Rooftop Rally in 2018, with her mentor Carol, Adriana made the commitment to become a mentor. “It just feels right to be able to impact someone and gently teach our future leaders their capacity and help them find their voice.”

“We’re fortunate to have a program like Starfish Initiative that doesn’

wanting to succeed, but instead gives them mentors to teach them ho relationships that span across generations provide

r m e n to

e

ei d th so many opportunities to learn compassion n a rs and grit for all those who have the a ol h opportunity to see these sc n relationships in action.”

“I give back to say thank you to those

- LaDarius, Match Specialist/ Scholar Recruitment Manager

“What gives me hope for the future is how amazing this

THE

M.A.T.

SPECIAL

MEDIATORS, AD TRAILBLAZERS, C & HEARTS MARION CO TEENS

M a tc h • ce

to me.”

Specialist

who have given back

s su pp or t4 25

te

- Jess, Match Specialist

r fi

sh

E

e xp

and hardworking students renews my hope for a brighter future. Being a small influence in their already amazing lives has been the great

4

incredibly bright, compassionate,

to r s a l o n g the

and success. Working with

ar

their path to education

-ye

to steward them along

r

better opportunity than

St a

is. I could not ask for a

ien

generation of students

privilege of my life.”

“As a first-generation college

- Lauren, Match Specialist/Operations Manager

understand how important i

oesn’t just give tools to students

em how to use the tools. Mentor-Scholar

e n to r s a l o n g

the

4-

ye

“As a 21st Century

ar

Scholar myself , I know that

St

the mentors I had kept me on

ar

track and they were vital to

fi sh

my success. I hope that our

Ex

mentors can provide the

pe

same guidance to our

Specialist s M a tc h s u e• pp nc o r rie t4 2

scholars and I love to

THE

A.T.C.H.

CIALISTS

ORS, ADVOCATES, ZERS, CHAMPIONS, EARTS FOR ION COUNTY TEENS

5

te

n

sc

ho

la

rs

an

m e n to heir dt

tant it is to have a

leave us with a sense of pride in their accomplishments.”

- Taylor, Match Specialist

“A seed in a good soil, in a good direction of sunlight and a right amount of water will become fruitful.”

- Peng, Match Specialist

e

ollege student, I

see the students

champion in your corner throughout high school and during

the college application process. The best

part of my job is supporting these amazing students and seeing the power of the mentor and scholar connection.”

- Amera, Director of Operations/Match Specialist

ASHANTII

DAVID

Warren HS, Class of 2022

Ben Davis HS, Class 2020

“Starfish is a good opportunity for students who want to go forward in their education to shine. You get people who care about not only your education but you as a person.

There is no better opportunity than that.”

“I joined Starfish because it’s a program that would help me through my transition between high school and college.”

ANDREA

FLOR

Shortridge HS, Class of 2021

Arsenal Tech, Class of 2019

“I joined Starfish because it was a good opportunity to expand my path of success for college.”

“I joined Starfish because I needed help and guidance to get through high school since my parents didn’t go past elementary school.”

2019-2020 CALENDAR

Rooftop Rally

Female Scholar Symposium

Freshmen Week

Business Roundtable Breakfast

Match Night

College and Career Fair

Back to School Kick-Off

College Mega Visit

Shining Star Celebration

Incredible Journey

Leadership Camp

Senior Celebration

May 22, 2019

June 17-20, 2019 July 30, 2019

August 10, 2019

August 29, 2019

September 15, 2019

Male Scholar Symposium October 2020

October 2020

January 28, 2020 March 14, 2020 April 2020 April 2020 May 2020

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2019 Ian Aki Emidio Alvarez Vallecillo Davon Arberry Samantha Armenta Emmanuel Arreguin Vargas Alondra Arriaga Rosales Taj Baker-Weathers Cindy Baltierra Sarah Belloso Anderson Bonilla Blake Bridges Iyonna Brooks Anita Brown Thea Brown Francie Cardenas Diana Cardoza-Manzano Olivia Carranza Bre Castaneda Kenedi Cheatham Ryan Cloud Alisson Contreras Linda Cuevas Beauty Dabney Taiveon Davis Leslie Diaz Emiliano Ferral-Rodriguez Kel-lam Footman Quinn Ford Jr. Anika Gant Jennifer Garza Yaneth Garza

Katlan Gomez Ellyssa Grant Qishana Gray Jennifer Guerra Matthew Guevara Asia Harris Dakota Harris Rayswann Harris Josue Hernandez Gracy Hmung Jason Holden Johnyella Holloway AJ Hoskins Danielle Howard Cameiron Jackson Janelle Jenkins Armond Jones Patrice Jones Derrick King Rien Kinnett Elyzabeth Lavertu Ta Blu Lerku Aubriana Lewis Kamyra Lyles Chasserine Marin Juan Martinez Dailah McCoy Emma Milton Flor Mojica Alyssa Nelson Dameika Newell

Alan Olvera Dana O’Neal Eden Ortiz Melanie Parra Deacon Pettiford Ashley Provencio Patrick Rachell Jr. Melanie Reyes Francisco Santos Raygan Savage Joniyah Sharp Lincoln Shields Delawrence Smith Chaikou Sow Daylen Spivey Brianna Stewart Jasmine Tafoya Devontez Tate Simon Teklezghi Ana Tepozotlan Nadin Terrera Dawt Tha Christian Thomas Porscha Webster Benjamin Werle LaJuan Whitney Ericka William Breanna Winters Jose Zapata Brian Zaragoza Natalia Zepeda

When we double the impact, We change lives and communities - today and tomorrow. To support the mission of Starfish and future Scholars, refer a “friend” or make your donation.

“DOUBLE THE IMPACT!”

DOUBLE THE IMPACT 2019 Matching Gift Campaign

In spite of facing challenges, Starfish Scholars are focused on achieving the goal of success in the classroom and in their future careers. Starfish has made a commitment to “Double the Impact”, helping more Marion County teens achieve their goals.

Through partnerships, a greater number of future Scholars will be able to reach for the “Stars” - and have a brighter future. On April 1, 2019, with the support of the Lilly Endowment (LEI) a matching gift campaign was launched to inspire, encourage, and prepare promising high school students facing unearned adversity for college and career success.

$25,000 + $25,000 = $50,000 Through supporters like you, Starfish reached the goal of $25,000. Each dollar raised will be matched by LEI, “Doubling the Impact.”

INTERESTED IN MENTORING?

FOLLOW US

Doubling the Impact does not stop

Follow Starfish on social media and

there. Serving more high school

share with friends, followers or groups.

students means there is also a need to increase the number of mentors. The best recruiters for mentors is YOU!

Facebook.com/StarfishInitiative

Partner with us by helping us recruit

Twitter.com/starfish_in

more mentors.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? • Refer a friend

Linkedin.com/company/starfish-initiative Instagram.com/starfish_in Youtube.com/StarfishInitiative

• Invite us to make a presentation to your organization or employer • Invite a friend to a future Starfish event

For additional information, contact us at 317.955.7912 Thank you for supporting STARFISH!

Starfish Initiative

Advancement & Communications 6958 Hillsdale Court, Indianapolis, IN 46250 P: 317-955-7912 communications@starfishinitiative.org www.starfishinitiative.org