"The Best Way To Predict The Future Is to Create It ”
Paul Savramis founded the Rising Stars organization to give youth a more promising future. For this reason, Paul Savramis views the many accolades Rising Stars has received over the years as a benchmark of the organization’s success. Several major public figures have lauded Rising Stars, including Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski (Rising Stars director’s Jay Williams coach) and several former Rising Stars participants who are now professional athletes.
But among the most notable of the Rising Stars’ acknowledgments is a 2003 letter from then-President George W. Bush commending Paul Savramis and Rising Stars for their work to further the future for America’s children. The letter acknowledged the importance of athletic participation in helping children learn the value of determination and endurance. As Paul Savramis points out, President Bush also honed in on basketball in the letter and how the sport teaches participants to set goals and work hard to reach them. That most of the learning a child will receive is at a early age and through the medium of play was a educational principle Paul Savramis emphasized in his years as Rising Stars’ leader and it is something he continues to believe in today.
President Bush also noted that Rising Stars and Paul Savramis were helping teach children the value of playing by rules, as well as how to win and lose with grace. As President Bush put it, “These important lessons help build character and the values necessary to succeed in life.” This was especially validating to Paul Savramis, who always strove to ensure Rising Stars touched the lives of everyone who participated.
The letter from President Bush was followed by a 2004 letter from the governor of New York, George Pataki. Governor Pataki wrote that Rising Stars was an exceptional organization that made a difference in the future of our country by shaping young lives. Like President Bush, Governor Pataki highlighted the important role sports plays in youth forming life skills, as Paul Savramis had sought to do, but Governor Pataki also emphasized the health benefits of sports in young lives. According to Paul Savramis, the acknowledgement cited Rising Stars as a cornerstone of young lives, bringing together children of diverse backgrounds for a shared activity. Paul Savramis always believed that Rising Stars helped young people redirect their energies to constructive activities.
Governor Pataki also commended Paul Savramis and the other committed team members at Rising Stars for their dedication and vision. It was especially validating to Paul Savramis to see the governor notice the benefit of mentoring in the lives of the youth that participate in Rising Stars. According to Paul Savramis, the mentoring aspects of Rising Stars have always been an integral part of the organization’s mission, as they provide children with an opportunity to bond with someone who sets a great example.
Lastly, Governor Pataki encouraged other New Yorkers to recognize the efforts of Paul Savramis’ organization for the State as a whole, calling Rising Stars a “beacon of light.” Paul Savramis is grateful to see the organization he’d worked so hard to build receive such high honors from some of the most important leaders of our time.
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