Star Shooter first wants to thank all of you who continue to support and believe in our vision for our next generation. Our passion still holds strong to be able to have an impact with at-risk children around the world by equipping them with a tool for expression using photography.

The move to Sarasota, Florida one year ago from Kansas City, MO allowed SS to work in a new community of children, and for that we are excited. Star Shooter continues to remain in Sarasota for 2011. Star Shooter held two local summer workshops right here in Sarasota, Florida. The first workshop over a 3-week duration with 15 children at Take Stock In Children. TSIC is a a non-profit organization in Florida that provides a unique opportunity for low-income and at-risk students, many from minority families, to escape the cycle of poverty through education. The project for the children at TSIC focused on goal setting, by reflecting and taking pictures of “who they are today and who they want to be tomorrow.”

The other summer workshop was held over an 8-week duration with 19 girls at Girls, Inc. Girls Inc. of Sarasota is a local affiliate of a national nonprofit youth organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold. The young girls had so much fun each week exploring the project topic of “Beauty Within.” The objective of our project was to empower girls to see the beauty within themselves and learn how to express themselves confidently using the camera to be their voice. Check out the Herald Tribune newspaper article published in September that talked about the program here: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20110906/ARCHIVES/109061014/-1/todayspaper?p=1&tc=pg

Opportunity…
If you have a used or new digital camera that you’d like to donate for future Star Shooter workshops, we’d love to put them to use! This year some of the kids had to share cameras because we didn’t have enough to go around. We currently have 10 working cameras for the kids to use, and could use at least another 10. You can mail cameras or donations to: Star Shooter, PO BOX 3795, Sarasota FL 34230, or send donation to PayPal if you’d like to donate to our camera fund HERE. Thank you!

A few very special Thank You’s…
To all the photographers who supported and worked with Star Shooter in 2011… Peter Acker, Lauren Flores, Nina Grace, Cat Pennenga, Katie Trujillo and Chris Zupo. Dana Bakich, Director of Marketing and Development at TSIC, for all the hard work she put into creating a place for SS to be apart of the kids summer program. And many amazing key ladies made it possible for SS to be a part of the “Inner Beauty” summer program at Girls, Inc. Gabrielle Beer for envisioning the program; Marisa Monroe, Director of Program Operations at Girls, Inc., for all the coordination and communication to execute our plans; and Kay Mathers, Director of Community Affairs at Girls, Inc., for all the organization and planning to bring it all together. THANK YOU so much to all these amazing people that have accepted Star Shooter with open arms into the Sarasota community. It truly is a pleasure to be here with you all. Without each you, we couldn’t have moved forward!

Enjoy a few shots below taken from this years workshops and the awesome culminating events where the children just beamed! …and be sure to FOLLOW US on FACEBOOK for all the latest happenings!