Youth Development

Student Executive Council
The STARS Student Executive Council (SEC) is made up of students who assist the STARS Specialist in implementing the STARS program at each school site. The SEC traditionally consists of 15 to 20 students who are committed to helping better their school and participate in various leadership roles and projects. The students coordinate several service learning projects throughout the year as well as school wide prevention activities such as Prom Promise and Red Ribbon Week. A SEC member must be committed to being a positive role model for their peers.

A student becomes a member of the Student Executive Council (SEC) through a short application process. Available through the STARS Specialist at each school site, each individual application is thoroughly reviewed and selected by the Specialist. SEC students are also eligible to attend the Annual STARS Joe M. Rodgers Leadership Conference held each fall.

Joe M. Rodgers Leadership Conference
Held each year in conjunction with Red Ribbon Week, a nationwide celebration where communities and students across America commit themselves to live drug-free, the Joe M. Rodgers Leadership Conference is held each October. More than 700 middle and high school youth leaders attend the conference to learn leadership, peer mediation and team building skills as well as alcohol and drug prevention strategies. Issues such as safe teen dating, date rape, and bullying are also among the focus topics. Attendees return to their respective school sites readily equipped to serve as members of their STARS Student Executive Council and leaders, peer mediators and role models amongst their peers.