The Foundational Pillars of BOSS Excellence
All of our program participants are committed to the mastery of the Six Foundational BOSS™ Pillars of Excellence and timeless leadership, personal development and success imperatives. It is a shared understanding across the BOSS community (including youth, families, staff, and supporters) that mastering each of these pillars is an essential part of the BOSS process. In order to excel in any of our programs, our young scholars must embrace these pillars and challenge themselves to uphold them to the best of their abilities at all times. To master the pillars and principles, our young people proudly commit to:
- Develop unwavering discipline
- Nourish the passion needed to sustain momentum
- Build a persistent focus on personal evolution
Six Pillars of Boss
Mentally BOSS
Be coachable & teachable
Observe 4 learning stages
Strive for mastery
Self-care and awareness
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Emotionally BOSS
Openness to feelings and values
Stay true to you
Set boundaries
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Socially BOSS
Operate with integrity
Strengthen your voice
Step outside comfort zone
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Physically BOSS
Organize your time
Strengthen mind & body
Set personal goals
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Economically BOSS
Spiritually BOSS
Observe ethical decisions
Stay aligned
Servant leadership
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About the BOSS Program
We inspire the passion, confidence and courage of scholars to skillfully transcend any limitations placed by given reality or internal doubt. We also help them develop the necessary skill sets, mindsets and resources to navigate life’s twists and turns. And we empower scholars to soar and step forward bravely into the unknown, being guided more by imagination than memory, and, ultimately, to reach beyond their fears and failures in all areas.
Noted Accomplishments:
- 2020 People’s Choice Award winner, MIT App Inventor Global Hackathon for Good, Safe Encounter App. Click here for short video demonstration of app.
- Super Bowl 56 Legacy Champion
- US patent for Safe Encounter Mobile App
- Five years (running) across the board outperform on metrics track by DOE
- Partnership with Microsoft which provides year-round opportunities to learn coding, build video games, etc.
- Partnership with The Alliance, which includes all 11 Southern CA pro sport franchises, providing career exposure and networking and real world experiences beyond the game and playing court, diamond or field
Click here for a short BOSS Summer Camp video, where we start our year-round and multi-year “process”.
Core BOSS Programs
BOSS Summer Camp
Two Week Camp to practice the BOSS Foundational Pillars in a supportive, fun, and challenging environment. Camp includes dynamic STEAM projects, a Math Madness competition, critical reading, argumentative writing and career pathway-based field trips and activities.
BOSS Academy
Year-round and multi-year academic support and enrichment that takes place daily, after-school, regularly on weekends and occasionally on weeknights. The content of our BOSS Academy includes STEM-based activities, critical thinking/reading/writing, financial literacy, leadership development, life skills, and noncognitive skills (communication, interpersonal and social skills, motivation, etc.
The content of our BOSS Academy includes academic enrichment, STEM-based activities, critical thinking/reading/writing, financial literacy, leadership development, life skills, and noncognitive skills (communication, interpersonal and social skills, motivation, time management, etc.) and opportunities for advocacy and service.
BOSS STEM Enrichment
- BOSS Hackers- scholars learn coding skills and participate in hackathons (hacking competitions) where they put their skills to the test with innovation challenges including things like on the spot App creation
- BOSS Robotics- scholars learn fundamental engineering and technology principles building robots and then put them to the test in robotics competitions
BOSS Career Pathways
Career exposure and network, real-world experiences, projects, trips and guest workshops aligned with illustrative career path models including BOSS Techies, BOSS Entrepreneurs, BOSS Bankers, BOSS Barristers, BOSS Traders, BOSS Ballers, and BOSS Travelers. Some of the specific career fields explored include architecture, computer science, software development, aerospace engineering, consulting, engineering, global trade, law, media/broadcasting, medicine, and technology. A component of the pathways program also includes leadership development, advocacy and service. ***Stay tuned for our BOSS STEAM Career Pathway Portal! A special resource for districts, schools, and other youth focused organizations, this portal will serve as an online hub with a plethora of information on various STEM career pathways, soon available!
BOSS Talks
Bi-weekly virtual discussions (that began during the pandemic) with renowned athletes, professionals and executives who share their journeys with our boys…the good, the bad, and the in-between. It’s an opportunity for accomplished individuals to have honest conversations with our young people about the strategies, tools and resources they relied upon to achieve their goals. Featured guests have included:
- Former NBA Rookie-of-the-Year and CBS basketball analyst Clark Kellogg.
- Grammy-award winning producer/writer and Recording Academy President, Harvey Mason, Jr.
- Billionaire venture capital fund managing partner and Golden State Warriors part-owner Mark Stevens.
- Steelers quarterback and aerospace engineer Josh Dobbs.
- The Black Tax author, Shawn Rochester.
- Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul.
- NBA’s Adam Harper.
- Investment banker Michael Haddix.
- Former NFL exec turned ASU Athletic Director Ray Anderson.
- NASA scientist Tony Magee.
- Real estate mogul and former business partner to Magic Johnson, Ken Lombard.
What Makes BOSS Unique
- Multiplier Effect. We engage the same boys year-round and multi-year starting in middle school.
- Principle-Based. We leverage our foundational pillars and Good to Great principles to transform rather than simply touch the lives of our boys
- Train the Trainer. We fortify our college upperclassmen/grad students who serve as academic coaches for our boys, who master our Good to Great principles for themselves by teaching them to our boys
- Assures a consistent personal relationship and mentorship with each program participant, uniquely fitting their needs
- Promotes family engagement with all program participants
- Comprehensive. While we are dedicated to promoting the academic success of our boys, we focus just as intently on building critical thinking, financial literacy, and related fields and skills and networking and professional development. We also support the well-being of boys through ongoing ongoing social-emotional development and well-being.
- Illustrative career path models include Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (BOSS Techies); Media, Business, Entrepreneurship (BOSS Entrepreneurs); Banking, Finance and Investment (BOSS Bankers); Law (BOSS Barristers); Logistics, Maritime and Trade (BOSS Traders); Sports (BOSS Ballers); and Tourism, Cuisine and Hospitality (BOSS Travelers).
- Flexible. Our programming is tailored to suit the needs of the communities in which our programs operate.
- Leveraged. Strategic partnerships at the local, state, and national levels ensure an integrated continuum of engagement and support for participants on the pathway to success.
Who are Scholars?
- Black, Latino and economically disadvantaged boys residing in Southern California who want to be better and do better.
- Student-athletes who want to be better and do better.