Rising Stars Youth Foundation
Latest Updates – January 2018

To Our Rising Stars Family, 

Happy New Year to all! With the new year starting December was a short month for the Rising Stars. On December 19th, we hosted our 3rd annual Hearts & Hoops charity drive. We had over 100 boys and girls participate in this amazing event helping various charities. We are extremely proud of all the children who participated in giving back during the holiday season.

We are proud to announce our new partnership with 6th Boro Hoops. Founder and Rising Stars alumni Nihad Musovic runs this amazing basketball program in the Bronx and Westchester. Rising Stars Executive Director Dan Gimpel says ”having a former player like Nihad get back involved with Rising Stars is a special thing. Having known and coached Nihad since he was 10 years old and to now be able to work him and his organization makes it even more special”.  This new partnership will provide more opportunities and expand our outreach and educational efforts.

On the court all our teams have been working hard. Specifically, our 6th Grade Rising Stars Elite team which captured the championship in Harlem’s Riverbank Park. Congrats to all the boys and coach Barrington.

On January 14th Rising Stars will host its annual boys try-outs and girls January 8th-10th for the spring season. We are expecting a big turnout so will look forward to seeing all current and potential new players come show their stuff. Details below on dates and times.

The Rising Stars Boy’s winter teams have been learning, growing and competing throughout the first half of the winter season. Our Rising Stars Elite 2024 team recently won the “Hooping for the Holiday Tournament” in Harlem’s Riverbank Park. The boys went 5-0 in a very tough field eventually defeating Jerry’s Juice All-Stars in the championship.

Our spring AAU boy’s tryouts will take place at LuHi on January 14th for grades 3rd-8th. We are once again expecting a great turnout!

This January the Rising Stars Girl’s winter teams are beginning their winter games! Our teams will be participating in the Island Garden’s Super League. Be on the lookout for news and updates.

Our alumni continue to succeed in the college ranks as Morgan Staab (Adelphi), Natalie Hickman (LIU Post), Maya Bernsley (Oneonta), Hannah Peck (Dickinson), Alessia Drevnyak (Old Westbury), Skye Burris (STAC), and Stacey Madelmayer (Stonehill) are all making impacts with their teams this season.

Rising Stars players Jessica and Nicole Paprocky had the opportunity to meet, photograph and interview NBA All-Star Stephen Curry. The Paprocky girls proudly represented the Rising Stars family!

We are 4 months into the school year and 98 student athletes shared their HONOR ROLL report cards with us. They all received letters of commendation and Rising Stars HONOR ROLL water bottles to recognize their achievements. We are so proud of them!

On December 18th, Rising Stars Youth Foundation, held its third annual “HEARTS AND HOOPS” community service program to help charities. We are very proud of the student-athletes from grades 4th to 8th who created 100 holiday cards for home-bound seniors through Meals on Wheels, wrote 100 letters for soldiers and first responders via Operation Gratitude, packed 100 “Blessing Packs” to be distributed by “The Homeless Bus” and decorated 100 rocks through the “Kindness Rocks Project. Players also made “Snowman Soup” hot cocoa packs for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

“Hearts and Hoops” promotes team-building spirit that will help our kids on
the courts and make a positive difference in the world.

OUR PARTNERS:
#thekindnessrockproject
#rmhli
#citymealsonwheels
#operationgratitude

SAVE THE DATE

Rising Stars Youth Foundation Gala

May 22, 2018 at New York Athletic Club

Join us!

Don’t just put on the jersey, get in the game with us! Support our players, program, and purpose. You can do this by not only going to our games and tournaments, but by also following and engaging with us on social media to spread our message. With your help we can continue to offer our players more opportunities to play, learn, and grow though the Rising Star’s Difference. Donate your time, energy, resources, or funds to make a difference in a student athlete’s life. Click here to see how you can get involved.