Students Rising Above: The Rising Stars Program - Empowering Future Leaders

Introduction

The Students Rising Above (SRA) Rising Stars Program is a comprehensive initiative designed to empower high school juniors facing systemic barriers. By providing individualized support through mentoring, financial assistance, and college and career guidance, SRA aims to help these students define and achieve success in education, career, and life. This program is specifically tailored for students with ambition, resilience, and commitment, offering them a transformative journey towards a brighter future.

Rising Stars Program: An Overview

The Rising Stars Program is designed to help students navigate college, build career readiness, and move toward long-term opportunity. SRA supports first-generation college students as they pursue college success, build career readiness, and gain the confidence to shape their future. The program recognizes resilience, ambition, and commitment.

Eligibility and Requirements

To be eligible for the Rising Stars Program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Be a current high school junior graduating in Spring 2027.
Be a senior in the 2026-2027 school year.
Come from a low-income background or be living on government assistance.
Be committed to earning a 4-year college education.

Comprehensive Support System

SRA provides guidance, resources, and steady support that helps students navigate college, build career readiness, and move toward long-term opportunity. The Rising Stars Program is more than financial aid, it is a transformative journey. The goal of the Rising Stars Program is to provide students with the individualized support they need to be successful. Selected students will receive mentoring support, financial assistance, and college and career guidance. SRA empowers students facing systemic barriers to define and find success through education, career, and in life.

Application Process

The application process for the Rising Stars Program involves providing detailed information about the applicant's background, circumstances, and goals. Key components of the application include:

Personal Information: Providing details such as GPA, pronouns, documentation status, and living situation.
Household Information: Listing all adults (over 17 years old) living in the household and their occupations.
High School Information: Selecting the applicant's high school from a provided list or entering the details if the school is not listed.
Extracurricular Activities: Describing how the applicant spends their time outside of the classroom.
Essay Responses: Responding to three prompts designed to assess the applicant's goals, motivations, and need for support.

Essay Prompts

Applicants are required to respond to the following essay prompts:

Discuss your educational, career, and personal goals beyond high school. Tell us about any particular circumstances, school experiences, or persons that influenced your preparation or motivation to achieve the goals you describe.
How can the Rising Stars program help you achieve your educational and career goals?
Is there any additional information you would like SRA to consider as we review your application?

SRA discourages relying on AI for essay responses, emphasizing the importance of the applicant's unique voice and perspective. When discussing your personal experiences, we want to hear your story - crafted in your own words.

Submission Guidelines

Applicants are advised to draft their responses in a separate word document and then add them to the application when ready to submit. It is crucial to save progress regularly to avoid timing out. Once an application has been submitted, changes are no longer possible. Any applications received after the March 4th deadline will automatically be disqualified.

SRA's Impact and Values

SRA works with students from 12th grade through college, and into the workforce. SRA alumni are breaking the cycle of poverty for themselves and their future families. The Rising Stars Program recognizes resilience, ambition, and commitment.

Core Values

SRA operates on a foundation of core values that guide its work and interactions:

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Inclusivity: We welcome new ideas, student perspectives, and community insight. We work alongside students, partners, supporters, and staff to create stronger outcomes.
Diversity: We value differences that strengthen our community.
Responsibility: We accept the responsibility to support students through critical moments in their lives.
Continuous Improvement: We strive for steady learning and improvement.

Team Expertise

Our team brings experience in student support, advising, and community partnership.

The Importance of Support

Students across the country face barriers that shape the course of their education and future earning potential. Their paths are shaped by relationships, resources, and opportunities that are often out of reach for first-generation students. Every student in our community carries a story of determination, talent, and resilience. SRA surrounds them with personalized support that helps them move from possibility to achievement.

Believing in Potential

SRA believes that every student who aspires to go to college should have the opportunity to thrive in higher education and enter into economically mobile careers.

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