Henrico Small Business Spotlight: Start 1 Spark

Amber Lancaster wants middle-schoolers to have the resources to try it all. The resulting skills learned, confidence built and memories made are some of the many reasons she thinks you should be on board, too. Start 1 Spark is her vehicle to make it happen.

Since its inception in May 2021, Start 1 Spark has been on a mission to make middle school extracurriculars more equitable. Whether its drama club, soccer, band, Lego club or anything in between, Lancaster is determined to help students thrive.

The idea for the local non-profit was born during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lancaster’s two children, along with students across the country, were at home, and daily life looked a lot different.

“I realized how those who relied on the school system for their extracurriculars lost that access during COVID,” Lancaster said. “But if you had the means and the resources, you could still participate in sports or music clubs and other activities outside of the school community. 

“You were still able to pursue those interests and have fun and see friends. . . And that just kind of seemed not fair.”

This left Lancaster thinking. Yes, there are certain aspects of activities provided by the school when it's in session. But how do disadvantaged families handle other barriers to extracurriculars?

“As a parent, I know there is still a fee,” Lancaster said. “There's still personal equipment, instruments and other items that you have to provide, and that just kind of got us thinking about how to even the playing field.”

Extracurriculars were a focus for Lancaster because she knows they act as a crucial reward. One that encourages students to make a commitment to school. 

“While extracurriculars are a lot of fun and provide a lot of joy for our students, they are also the stick that gets them to come to school,” Lancaster said. “Because they know, if I'm not at school, I can't play basketball. They know, if I don't have the grades, I can't play.”

Today, Start 1 Spark serves John Rolfe, Falling Creek and Salem Church Middle School. It also plans to expand its reach to Brookland Middle School in the fall.

The non-profit focuses on middle schools, specifically, because it’s such a crucial time for a child’s development. It comes at an age at which kids really need a confidence boost, and yet Lancaster said it often gets rushed through. It’s also the first time children get more choices in their activities, according to Lancaster.

“There's tryouts for sports, there's auditions for the play, there's clubs that you can belong to, you can join band or orchestra or choir,” Lancaster said. “And you finally get to kind of start exploring your independence and your interests.

“But if you're told no right from the get go because you don't have the funds for it. . . as a kid in this really awkward time frame, you kind of internalize that as I'm not worthy, and it's not for me.”

Thus, the mission for Start 1 Spark was born.

“Start 1 Spark believes every student should have access to the extracurricular programs at school so they can discover their passions, become leaders, improve communication skills, explore creative outlets and be a part of their school community,” Lancaster said. 

This year’s tagline is simple: “We ignite potential and transform the future.”

But how exactly does Start 1 Spark accomplish all this? By communicating with the schools and their staff regarding sports, music, arts and clubs.

Simply put, Start 1 Spark is “a resource provider” that does things like locate needed equipment, apply for grants to help cover club costs, gather volunteers for events and find donors. 

“We support the extracurriculars that the school has and the staff supports,” Lancaster explained. “Like at John Rolfe, they have a music teacher, and we coordinate with her on what kind of instruments they might need, or support to get to competitions, new harnesses for the drum line, those kinds of things.”

Start 1 Spark relies on individual and corporate sponsors, as well as community organizations, to get the job done. Monetary donations are a huge help, but physical donations are greatly appreciated, too. Think snack kits, gently used sports equipment and instruments. 

Soon, Start 1 Spark also will launch a “school squad program” that will give corporations looking for volunteer opportunities an easy way to pick things to do for the local schools. 

“It could be a cleanup day, it can be building picnic tables,” Lancaster said. “There's so many needs. . . there's really no shortage of what volunteer groups and corporate sponsors can invest in.”

Fuel for Fun is one of Start 1 Spark’s ongoing initiatives to address food insecurity. At participating schools, this program provides snack kits for every student athlete on game days. And if you thought this was a big undertaking – you thought correctly. Start 1 Spark went through 9,779 snack kits last school year, according to Lancaster.

“We'll go through 500 or so snack kits a week for all four of our schools,” Lancaster said. “Lots of people love this program because they can do it at home, they can do it at work, and they know that they're making an impact on our students.”

Looking for ways to donate to Start 1 Spark? You can sign up to bring assembled snack kits to the office during the two drop off days every month or schedule a time to donate your lightly used sports or musical equipment at the office. 

Lancaster just asks that you connect with her by emailing amber@star1spark.org or calling (571) 239-2462 before visiting the organization's location at 8942 Quioccasin Road, Suite 4208, Henrico, so she can make sure someone’s there to help and verify the donations are what they need at the time.

If you’re hoping to engage as a business, Lancaster eagerly invites you to connect, as well. 

“If businesses are looking to sponsor a team or a club or looking for a volunteer opportunity this summer, they can reach out to me,” Lancaster said. “They can email me and become part of our school squad program.”

You can also check out volunteer opportunity postings on CFengage, sign up for the monthly newsletter and monthly volunteer newsletter on Start 1 Spark’s website or follow Start 1 Spark on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Overall, Lancaster wants the community’s help in supporting our middle schools where they need it most. For the children’s sake, as well as the staff’s.

“Schools, teachers, coaches, they get really good at figuring out how to do a lot with a little,” Lancaster said. “So, our mission is to really help our schools and our staff be able to have more so that they can provide the quality they really want to provide.”

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