All Stars Are Bright
All Stars Are Bright (All Stars ABC) is a non-profit organization based in Kissimmee, FL, who for the past five years has provided hundreds of local youth ages 2-18 with character-building athletic and educational experiences. Through a variety of recreational, competitive, and elite programs, All Stars ABC focuses on skill development, healthy living, and values such as hard work, sportsmanship, and community. The organization’s triple threat motto is “Be a great person, Be a great student, Be a great teammate”. The programming they offer appeals to kids of all ages and skill levels, and includes a mini stars program for kids ages 3-7 to prepare them early on for basketball. New program offerings will even incorporate children’s yoga and meditation as well as nutrition education.
However, All Stars ABC first and foremost emphasizes the importance of education and aims to help their participants “shine bright” both in the classroom and on the court. Youth participants are required to have a minimum grade average and are encouraged to receive tutoring through the program if they don’t reach the requirement. Each season, All Stars ABC honors the top five students with the highest GPAs in each age division with a trophy and t-shirt, and names them to their “All-Star Academic Team”. This “All-Star Academic Team” is also part of their end of season All-Star game, in which the top 20 GPA’s in each age division compete against each other.
In order to foster an inclusive environment with the community, All Stars Are Bright has a close relationship with the Orlando Magic and participates in the Junior Magic League program, which has allowed them to play scrimmages on the court at Magic home games during the 2017-18 season. They have additional partnerships with local schools and community centers, and are able to offer income based scholarships thanks to a partnership with the City of Kissimmee. All Stars ABC also honors its players, coaches, and parents by hosting annual Mother’s Day and Father’s Day hot shot contests for the parents, and highlighting “Coaches of the Week” and “Players of the Week” on their social media pages.
Additionally, All Stars Are Bright started a campaign this past summer called “All Stars Supports the Blue” in honor of two fallen police officers from the City of Kissimmee. They dedicated their fall season to the officers, and donated proceeds from the season to their families. All Stars ABC also invited the entire police department to watch some of their games, in the hopes of continuing to foster meaningful connections through sports and beyond.
