About NorthStar - NorthStar Foundation

Mission

NorthStar’s mission is to change young men’s lives through programming that supports, challenges, inspires and instills a life rooted in education, self-discipline and service to the community.

Vision

NorthStar’s founding vision is to dramatically increase the proportion of male students in North Omaha who graduate high school on time, positioned to begin post-secondary education or immediately enter the workforce.

By employing a model of high-touch, multi-year extended learning, we focus on accelerating core academic and social-skill competencies of every young man we serve.

History

NorthStar’s overarching focus is on preparing North Omaha’s school-aged boys, traditionally beset by significant barriers to academic success, to complete ninth grade on level and graduate high school on time.

NorthStar fosters out-of-school time services for boys starting in elementary school and up through their senior year. By providing structures of support for young men before they experience disengagement from school, NorthStar guides young men throughout the critical transitions into middle school and high school.

Since programming began in 2014, NorthStar has developed a scalable after-school and summer program model centered on rigorous, student-centered academic and social-emotional development to transform the educational and life trajectories of the young men it serves.

2014: NorthStar opens its doors to young men in grades 5-8, serving around 100 boys daily.
2015: NorthStar introduces competitive lacrosse programming to its competitive athletics offerings.
2016: In response to identified needs of NorthStar students, the Leaders & Achievers Program is created to support NorthStar students during their high school years.
2017: NorthStar’s retention rates for middle and high school students exceeds the national average for the after-school programs serving students in this same age group; NorthStar dedicates the HDR Leaders & Achievers Classroom for high school students.

2018: NorthStar served over 600 boys in grades 3-12, with on-site daily attendance exceeding 180 students in after-school services and 230 students in Camp NorthStar summer programming.
2019: NorthStar announced an 18,000 sq. ft. facility south expansion as well as a north wing expansion, consisting of a two-story wing of classrooms.
2020: NorthStar opened the new South Expansion for programming.
2021: NorthStar opened the North Expansion for programming.NorthStar enrolled over 850 students annually, serving 300 students per day after-school and 360 students in Camp NorthStar summer programming.

Campus

NorthStar’s 70,000 square foot campus is located on 49th and Ames Avenues. The campus includes the multisport synthetic turf Fritz Field athletics complex, the Fred C. Buffett Fieldhouse, the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation Integrated Technology Room, the HDR Leaders & Achievers classroom, an art room, group classrooms, and more.

NorthStar also offers experiential learning opportunities through NorthStar Adventure programming with the Hitchcock Rock Wall, the Hitchcock High Ropes Challenge Course, and the Team Development Course.

In March 2019, NorthStar broke ground on a 3-phase facility expansion, funded by the vital support of donors through a three-year capital campaign

Phase 1 was focused on the south expansion, which includes the Mammel Foundation Leaders & Achievers High School Wing, offering career and college readiness programming for NorthStar high school students, and an Innovation Hub, providing dynamic learning spaces and dedicated resources for staging larger group activities, including STEM & robotics competitions, NorthStar Adventure programming and student dining.

Phase 2 focused on the north expansion, which includes the two-story Henry Davis Academic Wing, providing classroom space for expanded after-school and summer programming for elementary and middle school NorthStar students, and the Holland Commons, complete with lounge furniture for extra study space and the “Learning Stairs” structure, designed to serve as an amphitheater for assemblies.

Phase 3 included the installation of the all-purpose synthetic turf, bleachers, and stadium lighting to increase the longevity and usability of Fritz Field.

NorthStar Staff

Scott Hazelrigg

PRESIDENT

scott@northstar360.org

phone ext. 201

About

A great journey is a result of great guidance. NorthStar is committed to expanding opportunities for boys to find and follow their own paths to success.

Mission

Vision

History

Campus

NorthStar Staff

Scott Hazelrigg

PRESIDENT

Maria Malnack

director of finance & administration

Jim Stevens

director of education

LD Richardson, Sr.

Director of Operations

Samantha Chloupek

Director of Program Growth

TeeRoy Caldwell

Director of Adventure & Athletics

Lillian Jones

Executive Assistant

Lucy Puentes

Adventure Program Manager

Taylor Wentz

Associate Director of Operations and Adventure

Logan Mendez

Associate Director of Development for Athletics

Jessica Schaaf

DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

Angel Fairchild

operations coordinator

Rose Roeder

Student Support Coordinator

Andrea Siegel

Volunteer Coordinator & Guild Liaison

Cindy Farrell

Special Education Resource Teacher

Jen Goodman

Program Admin Assistant

Christine Fortier

Business Admin Assistant

Teri Williams

Reading Coordinator

April Knipp

High School Academic Manager

Ethan Beier

High School Success Navigator

Synneve Yoder

Math Coordinator

Ruth Gilmore

Welcome Center Coordinator

Dan Maline

Middle School Academic Manager

Jenna Workman

Elementary School Academic Manager

NorthStar Guild

Christine Schulte

President

Abby Johnson

President Elect

Sarah McGowan

Guild Advisor

Jen Alloway

Treasurer

Cindy Vaccaro

Recording Secretary

Jessica Covi

Vice President – Technology

Julie Lyons

Vice President – Community

Kristin Lewis

Vice President – Fundraising

Andrea Siegel

Guild Liaison, Volunteer Coordinator

Becky App

Guild Member

Olivia Beier

Guild Member

Mary Lou Brasee

Guild Member