Inside  the  circle

The Power of the Chairlift Conversation There’s something special about sharing a chairlift ride to the top of a mountain….

150 Seattle Youth Impacted through Learn to Ride Program This season, 150 youth from King County and Tacoma were impacted…

PRESS Release: Woodward Partners with Nonprofit, SOS Outreach, to Get Kids on Snow PARK CITY, UT – On Saturday April…

Letter: Helping Young People Connect on the Mountain away from Screens In this Vail Daily letter to the editor, SOS…

Community supporters gathered at Vail Mountain’s Sarge’s Shelter for a luncheon to celebrate SOS’ most successful season of impact in…

We are so excited to welcome six new members to our Board of Directors, each one with a proven track…

SOS Outreach Celebrates First Year of Mentor Program Expansion   STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO- Youth development nonprofit, SOS Outreach, celebrated the…

Park City Community Raises Over $67,000 to Bridge Opportunities for Local Youth PARK CITY, UT – During the last weekend…

STORYTELLING BY DESIGN: WOMEN OF SOS OUTREACH CREATE CUSTOM, LIMITED EDITION NORDICA SKI It’s not often (and by not often,…

Spreading Gratitude November is finally here! With snow falling across much of the west and SOS registration nights well underway,…

Coming Full Circle: SOS Hires Three Program Alumni to Inspire the Next Generation of Youth Fall is finally here! While…

Major Grant Allows SOS Outreach to Expand Midwest Mentor Program for Underserved Youth FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 21, 2022 The…

SOS Wins 2022 Utah Outdoor Summit Every Kid Outdoors Award We are thrilled to announce that we have received the…

New Horizons: SOs Grads Head to College It’s the time of year that parents love and kids dread… back to…

Bridging Opportunity in the Outdoor Industry: Career Development recap For nearly 30 years, SOS Outreach has been committed to bridging…

SOS Outreach Named US Ski and Snowboard DEI Champion Award Recipient SOS Outreach, a sport outreach and mentorship program serving…

Why Mentorship Matters- From Building Confidence in SOS to Starting a Business SOS Outreach is dedicated to supporting young people…

The Magic of the Midwest Mountains A quick note: We at SOS, are thrilled to introduce our very own Program…

From the Slopes to Harvard – Meet Delaney At SOS, we firmly believe in the inherent power of the outdoors….

The Power of Mentorship At SOS, there’s a lot that goes into ensuring that our programs are as impactful as…

Discovering Parallels: The Journey of a pro Snowboarder & the Core Values of SOs As a competitive halfpipe rider for…

Extending our warmest gratitude…

SOS ARTISTS TEAM UP WITH SMARTWOOL TO CREATE A ONE-OF-A-KIND SOCK Like so many of our participants, Emiliano, Chris, and...

Skills for life Part 4: Travis tafoya “SOS has been one of the few constants in my life,” shares Travis...

equity & inclusivity in the outdoors Breaking down barriers for our youth FINDING COMMUNITY WITH SOS When Ricky, a recent...

evo x SOS Outreach Building Professional Skills Through Partnership When brothers Alonzo, 22, and Alberto, 21, walked through the doors...

At SOS, we aim to bridge this gap.

Our programs are designed to empower youth, to enable them to discover their unique strengths, to encourage them to confidently express who they are, and to inspire them to become strong leaders in their communities. And, when the terrain gets steep, we’re here to help guide them through it.

May is Mental Health Awareness month, and we’re shining a light on how critical our programs are in equipping our youth with the skills, resources, and support they need to thrive.

Last fall, we weren’t sure how this winter season would look. Together, we focused on our youth. Our goal was to remain steadfast in supporting each participant every step of the way.

In Lake Tahoe, we partner with the Tahoe Fund to help shape the future stewards for tomorrow. The Tahoe Fund’s mission is to improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy. They support projects and programs that foster stewardship and improve the land and water we depend on.

My Future Pathways provides a helping hand to enhance and enrich the lives of first-generation Eagle County, CO youth. Like SOS, My Future Pathways connects underrepresented youth with opportunities to learn and grow in a safe environment—incorporating social, emotional, and behavioral health to inspire youth to a better future.

When we launch our programs in a new community, one of the first things we do is determine key local partners that will help enable us to be successful. In 2015, we expanded our locations to serve youth around Park City, UT—and we immediately began partnering with Bright Futures, a program of the Park City Education Foundation.

Since our founding in 1993, our work has been grounded in creating a more diverse, vibrant, and supportive community for marginalized youth. The power of this community has never proved as intensely critical as right now. The inequities exposed for kids struggling with economic, racial, social, and societal barriers have never been more amplified.

Thanks to our incredible partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team and Armada Skis, last weekend Olympic athletes Steven Nyman and Brita Sigourney joined our Utah community to ski alongside 95 of our Mentor program youth at Park City Mountain. 

Hear from SOS alum, Nima, on how she continues to use the SOS core values and life skills in her everyday life.

As the pandemic continues to sweep through our communities, we have doubled down on our efforts to provide consistent support, foster critical life skills, and strengthen our connection to meet the needs of our youth. We remain steadfast in our mission to stand by our participants’ side through an unprecedented season. 

Our Alumni Relations Liason Cara Sherpa recently caught up with fellow SOS alum, Izzy R. to chat about where she is now and how SOS played a role in her trajectory.

We believe that connection, support, and opportunity are the necessary ingredients for youth success. Our programs are designed to create strong leaders across our communities, but that doesn’t stop after youth graduate SOS. We’re excited to share that we’re launching a new SOS Alumni Network, Continuing the Circle! The goal is to create a thriving community for our alumni to connect, collaborate, and engage with our current participants, SOS partners, and each other. 

Cara’s story is part 3 in a multi-part series that highlights the long-term success of SOS with first-hand experiences from several alums.

We believe that connection, support, and opportunity are the necessary ingredients for youth success. Our programs are designed to create strong leaders across our communities, but that doesn’t stop after youth graduate SOS. We’re excited to share that we’re launching a new SOS Alumni Network, Continuing the Circle! The goal is to create a thriving community for our alumni to connect, collaborate, and engage with our current participants, SOS partners, and each other.

Jessa’s story is part 2 in a multi-part series that highlights the long-term success of SOS with first-hand experiences from several alumni.

We believe that connection, support, and opportunity are the necessary ingredients for youth success. Our programs are designed to create strong leaders across our communities, but that doesn’t stop after youth graduate SOS. We’re excited to share that we’re launching a new SOS Alumni Network, Continuing the Circle! The goal is to create a thriving community for our alumni to connect, collaborate, and engage with our current participants, SOS partners, and each other.

Valeria’s story is part 1 in a multi-part series that highlights the long-term success of SOS with first-hand experiences from several alumni.

Our year three Mentor program participants embark on a leadership-driven service project completely designed by them. With their Mentor groups comprising 4-6 kids, they examine needs in their communities, explore prominent issues they want to address, and develop and outline tangible solutions. These kids are making a very direct difference right where they live.

“SOS has been my support system,” shares SOS alum, Jessica. “My junior year was really stressful. I was overwhelmed with applying for college, with school work, all the aspects of your education that start to mean a lot more as you get closer to graduation. Going to SOS was really beneficial for my mental health. Spending those 8 hours with friends on the mountain actually helped me center myself and go home with a better attitude and a more productive work ethic.”

At SOS, we often highlight how the skills our kids learn on the mountain translate to overcoming obstacles in their own lives: getting up after you fall, encouraging and cheering on peers, trying something challenging and new. Dr. Casey Wolfington, a licensed clinical psychologist at Eagle Valley Behavioral Health in Colorado, reaffirms why these skills and attitudes help guide our youth during difficult situations like this.

Community and human connection are at the core of our mission at SOS. When we teach kids to ski, snowboard, backpack, and climb in a safe and encouraging environment—we also introduce them to new positive and supportive relationships.

Our mentor/mentee relationships are a crucial component of our kids’ success. Many of our kids lack consistent, positive adult role models, and it can be tough to know who to turn to when the terrain gets steep. Now more than ever, these bonds are key in helping our youth persevere.

For the last decade, we’ve been honored to partner with The North Face to significantly expand our impact through their Explore Fund. Like us, The North Face believes that exploration isn’t limited to the highest peaks in the farthest reaches of the world. Exploration is a mindset that helps us make meaningful connections to ourselves, with each other, and our communities.

In celebration of our decade-long partnership with The North Face, we’ve highlighted Peer Mentor Andrew Reynolds’ story to demonstrate what’s possible when a purpose-led brand helps empower youth to discover their full potential. And, while Andrew’s experience is a profound one, he is one of thousands of lives that The North Face has helped us change over the last 10 years.   

Last month, we began a series of season reflections to highlight the voices of kids, volunteers, and partners that make up the SOS family. In this month’s installment, we travel to programs across Colorado, Lake Tahoe, and the Midwest as our program managers share a few insights into the incredible youth and mentors that helped make this season so special.

As our program coordinators wrap up their seasons, we asked them to reflect on the year and share their favorite parts of the season. Below, we share their answers and their insights into the impact of their work.

April marks the close of our winter programs and although we are unable to celebrate in-person, we are proud to start a series of season reflections to highlight the voices of kids, volunteers, and partners that make up the SOS family. In this month’s installment, program team members across Lake Tahoe, Utah, and Colorado share a few insights into the incredible youth and mentors that helped make this season so special. 

When kids are asked who their role models are, many point to professional athletes as figures they admire. Athletes embody strength, courage, determination, and discipline—and motivate us to set goals and dream big.

Kids at our Seattle program excitedly welcomed two such inspiring role models, former Seahawks and Super Bowl champions, Cooper Helfet and DeShawn Shead, at our recent program day hosted at The Summit at Snoqualmie.

How To Get Outdoors During the COVID-19 Pandemic **Local advisories are changing by the hour, please check your local regulations…

SOS OUTREACH’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19 The situation is changing day-to-day, so we will continue to update this blog with new…

history in the making -2,005 SOS Kids On the slopes with SOS this week   There is a simple joy…

The Power of Mentorship January is National Mentoring Month and we’re sharing stories that highlight how our mentors make a…

Birds of Prey Industry Day: Inspiring the Next Generation of Leaders Just before the world’s best skiers charged through the...

New Faces! Please join us in welcoming a few new faces to our incredible staff team! Elizabeth Williams has joined…

Alumni Spotlight: Meet Jaqueline Earlier this year, we put out an Alumni Survey to reconnect with some of our past…

Reflections from the field. Backpacking in yosemite By Amina Hughes, North Lake Tahoe Program Manager “Between every two pine trees…

Reflections From The Field: Building Relationships In The Outdoors By Brooke Carlsen, Eagle County Program Manager This past summer at…

SOS Outreach Partners With Eagle Valley Outdoor Movement (EVOM) As students across our community head back to school, it creates…

Take The Magic Step Inspires SOS Outreach Youth With $15,000 Matching Gift As SOS Outreach wraps up its 25th year…

SOS Outreach Chosen as 2019 The North Face Explore Fund Grant Recipient The Explore Fund Empowers Future Explorers by Removing…

Alumni Spotlight: Meet Austin Earlier this year, we put out an Alumni Survey to reconnect with some of our past…

Alumni Spotlight: Meet Amelia Earlier this year, we put out an Alumni Survey to reconnect with some of our past participants. Let’s…

Industry Days Inspire Youth This winter, SOS partnered with Vail Resorts mountains Heavenly, Northstar, Park City, Beaver Creek, and other corporate…

Graduation Celebrations! As we wrap up our 25th season, we celebrate the culmination of our mentoring programs with graduation ceremonies…

Alumni Spotlight: Meet Jessa Last month, we put out an Alumni Survey to reconnect with some of our past participants. Let’s just say,…

Leaders Inspiring Youth This winter, over 150 SOS participants across locations invited a broad spectrum of community leaders to participate in Leadership Panels and share…

Participant Spotlight: Meet Isabella Meet North Lake Tahoe Junior Mentor, Isabella! Now in ninth grade, Isabella has been in SOS…

Talons Challenge: Completed! This year’s Talons Challenge was a success! We came together with our dedicated partnersBeaver Creek and the Peter Grant…

Core Partner Celebration: 5Logistics Ever wondered what it takes to keep 15 SOS locations up and running with all the…

1,524 Kids On Snow At 19 Resorts As our participants gear up for the largest week of winter programs, we…

Powder Challenge, Accepted Despite the high winds that sent us over to Telluride a day early, the MLK Powder Challenge…

25th Winter Season Underway This month kicks off winter program registration across SOS locations! This winter, over 3,500 youth across…

SOS Kicks Off its 25th Year! As we enter our 25th year of changing the lives of youth, we take…

Staff Reflections: Summer Backpacking Excursions Staff Contributor, Scott Partan The success and impacts of our backpacking trips has been absolutely…

Staff Reflections: Learn to Mountain Bike SOS Staff Contributor, Joan Dieter Learn to Mountain Bike (LTMB) at Keystone was an…

Gear Up For Summer Adventures It was all smiles from the kids on the Colorado National Monument trips this May….

SOS Youth Shine on Mountain & In Classroom This month, we celebrate SOS University participant Jorge, a ninth-grade student in Park…

Staff Reflections: Special Times at the Colorado National Monument Staff Contributor, Gillian Lane “Ok, where do I do go next?”…

Youth Service Spotlight - Alexis from Incline Village   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f0NvY_e2FQ Alexis makes waves in Straw Request program in North Lake...

End of Season Celebrations As the largest winter season in SOS Outreach’s 24-year history comes to a close, there is…

SOS Inspires Youth Off-Hill at Leadership Days In the past month, SOS Outreach joined forces with Beaver Creek Resort and…

SOS Graduate Spotlight: Travis Tafoya We caught up with SOS Outreach graduate, Travis to ask him about his experiences in…

SOS Taps Into the Transformative Power of the River with O.A.R.S. It’s not often that the opportunity to unplug from…

UTA PIPPIG JOINS TYLER HAMILTON IN 16th ANNUAL COLORADO-EAGLE RIVER RIDE AND ROADHOUSE MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE EDWARDS, CO – SOS…

Guest Blog by Scott Partan: COLORADO MASTERS PARTICIPANTS BACKCOUNTRY EXCURSION EAGLE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES, CO The mountains may be closing in…

16th ANNUAL COLORADO-EAGLE RIVER RIDE AND ROADHOUSE MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE FEATURING TYLER HAMILTON EDWARDS, CO – Back for the 16th…

Summer Adventures Abound for SOS Youth With a brief window between winter and summer programming, the SOS team is hard…

SOS Outreach Inspires the Next Generation of Community Leaders Throughout the year, SOS University Year 4 participants explore leadership through…

SOS Outreach Celebrates Another Banner Winter Season As the largest winter season in SOS Outreach’s history comes to a close,…

SOS Outreach + #TeamNerve Creating Brighter Futures For Youth Through Snowsports For 20 years, Optic Nerve has been a core…

SOS Partners with Mt. Brighton to introduce the sports of skiing & snowboarding to Detroit area kids MT. BRIGHTON, MI…

Insider Access at SIA Tradeshow Engages SOS Youth in Snow Culture & Opportunties DENVER, CO – The annual SnowSports Industries…

50,000+ Youth In SOS Programs Since 1993 – Embarks on LARGEST Week of Programs Ever VAIL, CO – Winter brings along…

C4 Belts Highlighting SOS Outreach through the Month of January Gear up for a great cause! Join C4 Belts in…

Vote for SOS in Gatorade’s For the Love of Sports Campaign™ SOS Outreach is proud to be one of the…

SmartWool Advocacy Team Spends Weekend with SOS Outreach BEAVER CREEK, CO – This past weekend, six members of the SmartWool…

1200+ skiers and riders compete to raise support for SOS BEAVER CREEK, CO – This past Saturday, over 1,200 skiers…

Inspiring the next generation Vail Daily – December 3, 2015 VAIL – U.S. Ski Team downhiller Steven Nyman is No….

Inaugural Industry Day On Wednesday, August 12th, SOS Outreach held its inaugural Industry Day in Boulder, Colorado. A select group…

Backpacking with SOS Outreach Sara Henley is an AmeriCorps VISTA member with SOS. She recently joined our Masters students on…

A Week in the Life of Backyard Adventures Ever wonder what an SOS summer program looks like? Join us as…

Local Partnerships Are The Key To Making Summer Programs A Success! Since its inception in 1993, SOS Outreach has expanded…

Summer Kick-Off: Colorado National Monument Here at SOS, we value getting outside, and think it is especially important for kids….

Give BIG 2015 May 5 is Seattle Foundation’s Give Big event. SOS will receive incentive funding from Seattle Foundation for…