Ti’Andre
Ti’Andre was born and raised in Miami’s Model City. He attended Brownsville Middle School and joined the South Florida After-School All-Stars (SFASAS) in sixth grade. Reflecting on his past, Ti’Andre acknowledges that he was a young kid filled with anger and attitude. However, everything changed during his three years in SFASAS. The program taught him valuable skills in leadership, collaboration, and positive communication, as well as provided insights about future career opportunities.
“After-School All-Stars helped me find my release. I started writing poetry and playing football. Thanks to After-School All-Stars, my anger faded away, and I became happy,” Ti’Andre shared. He also received strength and guidance from mentors in the program. One of those mentors was our Executive Director, Sean Prospect, whom Ti’Andre met when Sean gave a motivational speech at his school. Sean’s words resonated deeply with him and guided his journey.
“One of the things Sean taught me is that I can achieve anything I want to be,” Ti’Andre explained. “As long as you put yourself in the right position, set yourself up for success, and give yourself the best possible chance, there’s nothing you can’t do.” Ti’Andre continued to volunteer with SFASAS through high school and beyond, mentoring other students in the program.
Today, T’Andre is a decorated Miami-Dade County police officer and still acts as an ambassador for our program around the country.
Victoria
Victoria Torres, an 8th grader at West Miami Middle School, has been in ASAS since the 6th grade. She credits the program with dramatically helping her improve her grades, study skills and learn how to establish priorities. She is incredibly proud that she now understands previously difficult concepts when they are explained in class. Torres says that through ASAS “you can actually have fun at school.”
One of Torres’ favorite ASAS programs is the Career Exploration Opportunities national initiative, which she calls “fun and exciting.” This career-oriented young lady excels in math and science and hopes to go to college to pursue her dream of being a chemist, a dream she had cherished ever since she received a chemistry set as a four-year-old child for Christmas. She hopes to attend the University of Miami and make her family proud.
Torres also credits ASAS with helping her improve her social skills and make friends. Torres’ parents divorced when she was young and she had to move between schools, which made making friends challenging. In her young life, she explains that she has lost many people close to her, including her grandparents. Through ASAS, Torres has found peers and teachers she can rely on for guidance and support in school and in life!
Marie
My name is Marie and I am an 8th grade student at JFK Middle school in North Miami Beach. I am also the South Florida student representative on the National Youth Advisory Board for After-school All-stars.
I want to tell everyone about my amazing journey with the After-School All-Star program. Before I started, I was a little shy, not too involved and not always confident enough to speak up when I saw something wrong. I’ve been in the program for three years and it has changed who I am. I’ve had the chance to get to know my teachers better and take new classes like yoga, drama, nutrition, art, career exploration and cheerleading to name a few.
Last summer, I was given the opportunity to go to Dallas Texas for the National Youth Advisory Board Leadership Retreat. I learned about leadership and community service and went to the Texas Instruments headquarters to learn about jobs in engineering. They even gave us free scientific calculators which will come in handy in high school. When I grow up, I want to attend FIU, go to medical school, become a doctor and help people who are sick.
Thanks to After-School All-Stars, all the staff and volunteers, thousands of kids like me in South Florida know they are on their way to achieving their dreams.
See some of our former students sharing their experience