Bright Star Schools

- Yesenia, 8th grader

 

- Paloma, 9th grader

 

What do you wish for this holiday season? Happiness? Prosperity? Good health? At Bright Star Schools, our students also have wishes. And, the wishes of our low-income, inner-city students are really not all that different from those of children in the suburbs. They wish to earn good grades, stay out of trouble, get into college, and become someone successful in this world. The difference is that the obstacles facing our students make their wishes more distant and the path towards them more precarious.

 

If Bright Star Schools did not exist, most of our students would attend failing neighborhood schools where they would be exposed to drugs, gangs and violence, and would fall behind academically. But, because of your support and the support of others like you, Bright Star does exist to serve over 600 students at our two outstanding schools. And, because we believe that our students deserve to have their wishes come true, we provide all the elements of a program that will give them the tools they’ll need to be successful – a rigorous academic program that relies on outstanding teachers, a strong curriculum that sets high expectations, well-developed school policies that emphasize personal responsibility, a culture of mutual respect and accountability, and a safe and secure campus environment. Because we couple these elements with the support of teachers, aides, administrators, and parents who know that an education unlocks the doors to opportunity, we are confident that our students’ wishes will come true.

 

Evidence of our success – the success of our students – is all around us. For example, many students in our first class of graduating seniors have already been accepted to major universities, and more acceptance letters are on the way. And, last year, both of our schools achieved API scores above 800, ranking them among the top public schools in California that serve a low-income, predominately Latino population.

 

But, the news is not all good. As you probably know, state funding for public education has been cut severely over the last two years as California grapples with enormous budget deficits. Like every other public school in the state, Bright Star has felt the impact. This year, for example, we are serving 20% more students than last year with 20% less support from the state. So, as the administration of Bright Star Schools, our wish is to earn the financial support of the community so that we can continue to provide our students with the opportunities they deserve – opportunities they do not get at their neighborhood public schools.

 

We know that during these unprecedented economic times you are even more selective with your charitable giving. Please remember that every contribution is meaningful to the students of Bright Star Schools, no matter the size. We invite you to enhance the lives of our students and staff by making your 2009 gift before December 31st.

 

Over the course of the next year Bright Star will be asking our students and teachers to share their wishes with us. We will include these stories in our ongoing communication with you and on our website, www.brightstarschools.org. We hope you will enjoy learning firsthand how your donations help the wishes of some very deserving, hard-working students come true!

 

On behalf of Yesenia, Paloma and their Bright Star peers, thank you for making a difference.

 

Best Wishes,

 

 

Please go to https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/BrightStarSchools/OnlineDonation.html  to make your donation online today.