2025 BOSS Weekend

BOSS Weekend: Fueling an Ecosystem of Excellence

BOSS Weekend is where transformation takes center stage. Over two transformative days, youngsters, families, mentors, and supporters came together — not just to celebrate achievement, but to showcase what happens when you invest in year-round, multi-year transformation.

The BOSS Showcase — Where Futures Take Shape

Inside The Pointe at the Pyramid, the day began with a powerful panel led by the Los Angeles Rams, where executive leaders and former athletes drove home timeless truths: success is built on character, discipline, and knowing your worth. More than 200 BOSS hopefuls connected with leaders from sports, tech, law, and business — learning that success is built on character, discipline, and belief in what’s possible. In a moment of surprise and pride, Rams leaders honored BOSS Founder & CEO Everett L. Glenn with the pLAymaker Award for decades of service and impact.

From there, the room exploded with activity during speed mentoring — dozens of professionals from tech, law, sports, business, and media sat down with Scholars for rapid-fire career conversations. Boys asked the questions that mattered most, heard the real answers, and saw doors they didn’t know existed swing open.

Renowned executive and speaker Ramsay Jay Jr. closed the program with a keynote that challenged every Scholar to dream boldly, act with purpose, and believe that “changing the way you think will change the opportunities you receive — and the life you lead.”

The Showcase wrapped with a CSULB campus tour, where Scholars walked the halls, explored academic spaces, and began to see college as not just possible, but expected.

The Awards Gala — Celebrating the Six Pillars of Excellence

The next evening, the Long Beach Marriott shimmered with pride as families, partners, and community leaders gathered for the BOSS Awards Gala. This was no ordinary awards night — it was the living embodiment of our Six Pillars of Excellence:

• Economically BOSS – mastering money management, setting life goals, and giving back.

• Emotionally BOSS – showing resilience, setting boundaries, and staying true to self.

• Mentally BOSS – being coachable, embracing the learning process, and striving for mastery.

• Physically BOSS – strengthening mind and body with discipline and healthy habits.

• Socially BOSS – building meaningful connections, operating with integrity, and stepping up to lead.

• Spiritually BOSS – believing in possibilities, making ethical choices, and leading through service.

Senior Kaleb Tate, the Mentally BOSS honoree, summed it up: “I don’t avoid things because they’re hard. I do them because they move me closer to my goal.”

Sophomore Zaid Jenkins, the Emotionally BOSS winner, reflected: “BOSS isn’t just a program — it’s a place where I’ve learned to look at myself honestly, decide what needs to change, and then do the work to change it.”

From high-energy mentoring at our Showcase to standing ovations at the Awards Gala, every moment reflected the six BOSS Pillars — Economic, Emotional, Mental, Physical, Social, and Spiritual excellence. Scholars shared personal journeys of resilience and leadership, proving that when boys of color are equipped with the right tools, they rise.

These are more than events — it’s the annual celebration of a year-round process that moves youngsters from passengers to confident drivers of their own futures.

Moments That Moved Us

• A first-year Scholar shaking hands with an engineer who once stood in his shoes.

• Parents wiping away tears as they watched their sons honored for leadership and grit.

• The roar of applause as every young man crossed the stage — not just as a student, but as a future leader.

Experience the Weekend

🎥 Watch the Sizzle Reel — See the energy, hear the voices, and feel the spirit of BOSS in motion.

📸 Browse the Photo Gallery — From candid conversations to award-stage triumphs, relive every moment.

This Is Just the Beginning

BOSS Weekend is the annual celebration of a process that runs 365 days a year — a process that moves boys from passengers to confident drivers of their own futures.

When you support BOSS, you’re not just funding an event — you’re fueling an ecosystem of excellence that changes lives, families, and communities.

Join us in shaping the next generation of leaders