Community rallies to support Five Star students

When our community learned about the unprecedented need facing Adams 12 students and families, they didn’t hesitate—they stepped up. The Five Star Education Foundation has been humbled by the generosity of families, teachers, businesses, and partners, from monetary gifts to food drives and winter coat collections. As the Foundation celebrates 40 years of supporting students and honors Adams 12 Five Star Schools' 75th anniversary, our community continues to show what it truly means to stand together for every child.

Essential Support Through Food Hubs

When SNAP benefits stopped, the first wave of support arrived through passionate individuals who care about students to the Five Star Education Foundation. These dollars immediately strengthened the Food for Hope hubs located throughout the district—critical resources that ensure every student has access to nutritious food, increasing their support by 5x through these donations. 

Corporate partners, schools, and student clubs rallied behind this effort, committing to the shared mission of making sure no student goes hungry. The National Honor Society at STEM Lab, Hulstrom, and Stargate hosted food drives at their schools, and North Star and Rocky Mountain Elementary hosted a coat drive. Three local religious institutions within our district hosted their own food drives for Adams 12 students. 

Our corporate partners, such as Horizons North Credit Union, immediately sprang into action to provide support. Additionally, Adolfson and Peterson Construction made a generous donation for emergency student support. All of this good work has been accomplished by a coalition of community organizations and the Adams 12 Student and Family Outreach Program, and enables us to serve our community with dignity. 

The Conversation Continues

Our students and families are facing an unprecedented crisis. This September, our Five Star Resource Network saw a 69% increase in service interactions compared to last year, providing 10,300 service interactions. This need existed, and was growing, even before discussions about SNAP benefits began.

The great work of the Five Star Resource Network is outside the norms of public education. However, in alignment with Adams 12 Five Star Schools’ mission of knowing every student’s name, strength, and need, the Foundation invests heavily in students being learning-ready.

You can keep up to date on this issue and continue to support Adams 12 students through the Five Star Education Foundation 501(c)(3). 

Together, we are showing our students and families that they are not alone. Together, we are proving that it truly takes a village. A village strengthened over the past 75 years by the compassion and commitment of Adams 12 Five Star Schools’ leaders, teachers, staff, and community to supporting every student as a whole child.