June 05, 2026
KOMU – The Day Dreams Foundation will hold its inaugural Stary Awards ceremony Friday night at Stephens College.
The foundation offers scholarships of up to $500 per child to remove financial barriers kids might face to participate in an extracurricular activity.
The Friday event is meant to celebrate kids in the program who have been nominated for their success in extracurricular activities, from football to STEM club.
The foundation used to run a gala, but this year will be the first for the Stary Awards.
The Day Dreams Foundation will also unveil a scholarship in the memory of Aiyanna Williams, a Stephens College student who was killed in a downtown Columbia shooting on the morning before the University of Missouri’s 2025 Homecoming parade.
Williams was a recipient of a scholarship from the foundation when she was younger.
“Her mom wanted to do a scholarship in her memory, and so we thought tonight was a great night to honor her, because in 2016, when Day Dreams Foundation had its first gala, Aiyanna was awarded the first ‘Star Kid’ award,” Day Dreams Foundation Executive Director Adonica Coleman said.
Friday night’s ceremony includes 28 nominees in various categories.
“This event means a lot; it’s an incredible event,” Stayce Smith, a board member, said. “We are celebrating students, kids in our community … who are participating in extracurricular activities.”
Smith has had family members receive scholarships through the Day Dreams Foundation.
“Day Dreams Foundation was created in 2014 to eliminate financial barriers for the youth of Columbia between the ages of 5 and 18, so that they can participate in the extracurricular activities of their choosing,” Coleman said.
Coleman said one of the best parts of being in the foundation is getting to see the happiness on a child’s face when they realize they get to participate in the extracurricular activity that they want to.