The program, which has both after-school and summer components, operates in six school districts in New York State, including Long Island, New York City, Mt. Vernon, and Troy. School staff, after-school staff, students, and parents together develop an Individual Enrichment Plan to set goals and measure progress. In addition, students join weekly individual or group counseling sessions. Community service and family involvement are key components of the after-school programs. For example, students who first learned technology skills through the program then led a computer class for parents.
Parents attend conflict mediation training and parenting skills workshops.
Every STAR student has graduated from high school, and 96 percent have gone on to college. Test scores at participating Hempstead High School on Long Island improved so much that the state removed the school from its list of low-performing schools a year ahead of schedule.