We are proud of our most Special Honors for Role Models who continually display Qualities of Exemplary Leadership:
Mr. Owen D. Fraser Jr.
2016 STARRS Basketball: Education, Sports & Entertainment Awards - The IVY League Alumni Award (STARRS.org Newburgh, N.Y.)
Mr. Owen D. Fraser Jr
BA w/ Honors in Sociology at Columbia University
Mr. Owen D Fraser Jr. BA with Honors in Sociology at Columbia University - is an aspiring social entrepreneur who is the co-founder of The Shadow a Lion program, a student athlete focused career pipeline program based at Columbia University and founder of Conscious Eyes Media Network, an online media based movement. Mr. Fraser began his passion for community engagement and revitalization as a student athlete and Newburgh, New York youth. His passion for community engagement and program development shaped his passion on and off the football field. At a young age, Mr. Fraser was afforded the opportunity to mentor youth and generate youth development services, within his hometown of Newburgh, New York. Mr. Fraser has since combined his commitment to informing individuals through co-founding the Shadow a Lion career pipeline program where 30+ sophomore NCAA students annually are strategically matched with a mentor in their field of choice . Mr. Owen D. Fraser Jr. earned his Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Sociology at Columbia University. He aims families to continue to mobilize residents of underserved communities by tackling the issues affecting Columbia University BA. Student- Athlete Initiative Committee (S.A.I.C), Columbia University IBC Residential Advisor - NCAA Division 1 Football/ All Section 9 /All State Newburgh Free Academy H.S (NFA Head Coach Bianco) /Europe Bowl
Mr. Cal Ramsey
Lessons From "Each One Teach One"
2016 STARRS Basketball: Education, Sports & Entertainment Awards - "Mentoring for Life " Honorary Award Winner
Mr. Cal Ramsey Founder of "Each One, Teach One"
Mr Cal Ramsey Founder of Each One, Teach One" Organization. Director, Special Projects & Community Relations Representative is one of the Big Apple’s best-known and most respected sports figures…..vital force behind the Knicks….ambitious community efforts and ever present figure among the city’s youngsters….duties include an emphasis on education and stay-in-school messages aimed at the city’s youth.Instrumental in such recent successful efforts as the Knicks & MSG’s Garden of Dreams Foundation….serves as Goodwill Ambassador for Madison Square Garden, and is familiar figure at all Knicks and Liberty home games. An integral part of the Knicks scene for three decades….served as Knicks TV analyst for ten seasons (1972-73 through 1981-82)…instrumental in the success of Knicks Summer Caravan as a coordinator and speaker…. logged seven years as Knicks Director of Community Relations prior to current position. Influence on the New York sports scene goes far beyond Knicks, duties….has served his alma mater, New York University, as both assistant director off alumni relations and assistant basketball coach in 1985…honored by NYU’s School of Sports Management as the namesake of the Cal Ramsey Distinguished Lecturer Series, an annual event that was inaugurated by NBA Commissioner David Stern in spring 2001. Ramsey’s dedication, service and contributions to the New York City basketball scene have not gone unrewarded. In 2002, he received the National Invitation Tournament’s (NIT) Man of the Year Award, while in April 2005, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association.Member of the Board of Trustees of the Children’s Aid Society, and the Board of Directors of the Black Sports and Cultural Hall of Fame…serves on the advisory board of YES (Youth Education through Sports)…member of the Frank McGuire Foundation which honors high school coaches in the tri-state area…. former commissioner of the Foot Locker SlamFest….appointed chairman of the New York City Sports Commission by then-Mayer Edward Koch in 1986…logged four years as color commentator on St. John’s University hoop broadcasts on WFAN…. heavily involved with Special Olympics. One of the city's greatest home-grown hoop heroes….graduate of Commerce (now Brandeis) High School…three-year letterman at NYC, where his heroics earned him induction into the New York City Basketball hall of Fame in 1994…. earned All-Metro honors in three seasons and was named to the Helms All-America Team in 1959…Hauled in 19.6 rpg in 1956-57, still a Violet team record…. member of the Scholastic Honor Society….graduation from NYU with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1959. Second-round pick (15th overall) by St. Louis Hawks in 1959…played two NBA seasons (1959-60 and 1960-61) with the Hawks, Knicks and Syracuse, averaging 7.9 PPG in 13 career games (including seven contests as a Knick in 1959-60)… Pro career was cut short by knee injury .Following playing days, served as a teacher in the city’s public school system…. acting assistant principal of I.S. 201 in Manhattan in 1968-69….worked extensively with New York Urban League and New York Urban Coalition.Enshrined in the Brooklyn-based Basketball Old Timers of America hall of Fame, the NYC Sports hall of Fame, the Brooklyn USA Hall of Fame, the Holcombe Rucker Basketball Hall of Fame and the Bob Douglas Community Service hall of Fame.76 years old (July 13-1937; Selma, Ala)… Member of the world-famous Friars Club… made acting debut on a segment of the Cosby Show taped in October 1997… lives in upper Manhattan.
Amani_RAW
2016 STARRS Basketball: Education, Sports & Entertainment Awards - The Private School Future Starrs
Honors Student (Art)/Athlete/Actor/Artist
Mr. Amani_RAW last year Amani was accepted the the prestigious Oakwood Friends School, although he did not attend he attends to do so this coming year. He won the Most Creative Artist at Temple Hill Academy, had his Ceramic Art displayed iin New Windsor Art Gallery at the age of 12 years old. He has spearheaded many art marketing campaigns for The Boys and Girls Club of New York (Newburgh) and is a photographer, actor and singer as well. Amani has been the member of two Super Bowl Football teams in the Pop Warner and Orange County Youth Football League. he has played Little League Baseball and CYO Basketball as well. He is featured in print ads and has been selected for Film and TV Projects by numerous Casting Directors. Amani has been on his school's Honor Roll numerous times.
Coach William "Bill" Bianco
Lessons From "Academy Field"
2016 STARRS Basketball: Education, Sports & Entertainment Awards - "Mentoring for Life " Honorary Award Winner
Mr. William Bianco - Newburgh Free Academy Goldbacks State Championship Football.
Mr. Willian "Bill" Bianco - Newburgh Free Academy Goldbacks Head Football Coach · 2009 to present · Newburgh, New York Newburgh coach Bill Bianco has continued a tradition of taking a hands-on approach with the two local youth programs, the Newburgh Steelers Pop Warner teams and Goldbacks Youth Football that competes in the Orange County Youth Football League. Jim Rafferty, president of Goldbacks Youth Football, said that Bianco and his predecessor at NFA, C.T. Chatham, have always been active with the young players. “They would come speak at our banquets every single year and bring a couple of the high school kids with them,” Rafferty said. “They’d say, ‘Hey, listen, here’s what you guys are looking to do.’ ” Newburgh’s youth teams also have become true feeder programs for the varsity, as high school coaches work with their counterparts in the lower levels to install similar types of formations and play-calling they’ll use upon reaching high school. “When they get to (Bianco), they’re ready,” said Renee Colandrea, vice president of the Newburgh Steelers. “They know what he expects and they know what he’s looking for. It’s just easier to mold a team that way than starting kids on the varsity level from scratch. They’ve already been doing this through their Pop Warner and middle-school years.”
