Soroptimist of Zanesville SIA Club Grant Summary

S.T.A.R.S. Summer Institute for young women in grades 6-8 is a program designed to elevate the self-esteem 
and awareness of middle school girls by developing skills and empowering them to make good decisions. 
STARS stands for Sensitivity, Tolerance, Attitude, Responsibility, and Self-esteem.   Over three days, the girls
attend 17 sessions to learn new skills, expand their network of friends and role models, and pursue goal
setting toward post-secondary education. One class taught the girls a new skill – use a pattern and sew pajama
bottoms–which they proudly modeled the last day.  Other sessions the girls attended included: breadmaking,
cooking with and planting herbs, self- defense, managing money, mock job interviews, public speaking, bullying,
and presentations by Dr. Linda Swan and Janet Hostetler, nurse practitioner on maintaining a healthy body.
S.T.A.R.S. Director Cindy Brandi was pleased that 2011 evaluation form comments indicated that “girls felt
more confident in making positive decisions, made a lot of new friends and felt better about attempting to
learn new skills.”.

The Soroptimist Club Grant  of $5000.00 awarded to Soroptimist of Zanesville for S.T.A.R.S. was
written by Cindy Brandi who will implement the grant, assisted by Molly Ross, treasurer, Linda White,
president, and fiscal agent, Muskingum County Foundation, plus a team of dedicated certified educators
and community volunteers.