Starr Commonwealth

Vision Be a national leader in strength-based practices for children and youth

Core Values In 1913 the Creed of Starr Commonwealth was born. Today we continue to take to heart what Floyd Starr so compassionately penned that day as his core belief and the foundation of our organization, "there is no such thing as a bad boy." We have since updated that statement to read, "there is no such thing as a bad child," to reflect the care of girls as well as boys. The values we seek to nurture and live by are honesty, compassion, respect, responsibility and fairness. These values guide us and allow us to continue to build on Starr's strength-based treatment philosophy and provide hope for today's children and families.

Core Beliefs We believe...

•there is no such thing as a bad child. •everyone has the responsibility to help and no one has the right to hurt, physically or verbally. •people can change and problems are solvable opportunities that facilitate growth and development. •in recognizing and developing the strengths of all children and families. •in the oneness of humankind and will embrace all people as social equals, valuing their diversity. •all children deserve positive relationships. •in the principles of servant leadership and are obligated to help one another reach their full potential. •all people can be contributing members with a commitment to social interest and volunteerism. •all people are spiritual beings and, in order to reach their full potential, children and families must be given opportunities for spiritual growth.