SOS Program Offerings

During 2009-2010 SOS Outreach served 5,190 at-risk youth by providing 18,553 total program days, a 12% increase from last year. Within programs, SOS provides four different classifications, Adventure, Academy, University and Masters. Each of these programs offers a value-based leadership curriculum that enhances the experiences for students by promoting self-respect, positive relationships, social skills, and positive values all while participating in an outdoor sport. During program days students discuss and discover the meaning of the SOS Five Core Values; courage, discipline, integrity, wisdom, and compassion.

• Adventure is a one day program that focus on learning SOS’s core-value curriculum and exposing youth to a new sport or experience. Students are provided with all the necessary gear and are able to experience such outdoor activities as rock climbing, skiing, snowboard, peak ascending, team courses and snow shoeing. The initial goal of the Adventure programs is to transition students from one day trainings into SOS’s perennial multi-year trainings. This year 139 youth were served by Teams Courses, 500 by rock climbing, and 1,015 youth were served by Snowcore, all of which are one day Adventure programs. Adventure programs include: Mountain Biking, Paddleboarding, Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Teams Course, Winter Adventure Course, SnowCore.

• Academy programs are multi-day programs in which a new SOS Core Value is introduced and coupled with an outdoor activity each day. Academy programs empower students by making concrete connections between their outdoor activity and the meaning of the SOS Core Values. Students can participate in activities like five day learn to ski/snowboard programs, seven day wilderness trips, two day hut trips, or the 4^th grade Monument trip. This year SOS served 23 youth through hut trips, 208 through 4^th Grade Monument Trips, 68 through Wilderness trips and last year 1,580 youth were served through Learn to Ride. Academy programs include: Wilderness Trips, Base Camps, Learn to Paddle, Monument Trips, Peak Ascent, Hut Trips, Learn to Ride.

• University programs are the most intensive program SOS provides. It requires students to commit to a four-year program, with each year offering an increased commitment to community service and personal growth. Students engage in year-round leadership training with a consistent adult mentor, take part in service learning and life skills workshops as well as participate in skiing, snowboarding and/or summer wilderness experiences. Graduates of the University program are invited to stay connected to the program as Junior Sherpas. These students act as peer mentors to the current SOS University program students, by practicing and instilling leadership qualities. Last year 559 youth participated in University programs and 30 graduates returned as Junior Sherpas. University programs include: Winter University, Jr. Sherpas.

• Masters program With the success that the winter University program has achieved across all locations, SOS is extending the University program to provide a uniform curriculum for participants across both the winter and the summer; it will be called the SOS Outreach Masters program. Year-round programs will create a more intense impact in the youth served. Instead of a seasonal solution, SOS will be positioned to offer a consistent year-round journey for its participants. In the summer of 2010, 41 Summit County, Colorado youth completed a pilot of the year-round Masters program. They received 30 days of programming over the course of a year, as well as additional time with an adult mentor. With the successful pilot in 2010, SOS is expanding the Masters program to Eagle County in 2011.

Contact us for more information on programs