The gap is real. Wisconsin was 41^st nationally in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2017 ranking of equity in graduation rates, college success and other measures of child welfare.

The gap in graduation rates between white students and African Americans in the Fox Valley is greater than Milwaukee’s. (More info here and here.)

STAR students at Menasha High School

One of our shining moments from fiscal 2018 is a solution to bridge that gap for local students. A three-year, $250,000 grant from the Bright Idea Fund and $300,000 over three years from the Basic Needs Giving Partnership helped the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley  and its eight partners launch STAR (Scholars on Target to Achieve), an intensive mentoring program in Appleton and Menasha public schools.

Recently, WHBY Radio interviewed Kayla McNamara with the Boys & Girls Clubs about how the STAR program is making huge waves in the Fox Valley and its presence in both the Appleton Area School District, and the Menasha Joint School District.

STAR Advisory Board Member and UW-Oshkosh professor Marguerite Penick-Parks, and STAR opportunity coordinator Laura Jones were also interviewed, as part of the station’s  LIFE in Motion Series, in partnership with the Community Foundation, United Way Fox Cities and Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.

Click on the image to listen to WHBY’s program here:

The Basic Needs Giving Partnership Fund is supported by the U.S. Venture Fund for Basic Needs within the Community Foundation, the J.J. Keller Foundation, Inc., and other community partners.
You can make the Bright Ideas burn even brighter by adding your support.

Check out our current Bright Idea Fund results from 2018 – 2019!
See how our Bright Idea Fund impacted our community last year.