SOS Outreach was renamed from Snowboard Outreach Society in 2007 to coincide with its expansion to include skiing. It is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 youth program

Youth program

Youth programs are particular activities designed to involve people between the ages of 10 and 25. Activities included are generally oriented towards youth development through recreation, social life, prevention, intervention, or education...

 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

Non-profit organization

Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...

 founded in 1993 in Avon, Colorado

Avon, Colorado

Avon is a Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous town in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population was 5,561 at the 2000 census. Avon is the gateway to the Beaver Creek Resort which lies about two miles south of the town. It was the previous site of Vail Resorts before the...

 by Arn Menconi

Arn Menconi

Arn Menconi is an American politician. He earned his M.B.A. At University of Denver, Colorado and undergraduate in Communications at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.-Early life and education:...

. In January 2009, SOS Outreach merged with Meet the Wilderness, an organization established in 1974, to provide outdoor sports opportunities for youth year-round.

Organization

SOS Outreach engages underserved youth in winter and outdoor sports-based education programs. The program revolves around a core value curriculum that stresses Courage, Discipline, Integrity, Wisdom and Compassion. Adult mentor

Mentor

In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.When Athena visited Telemachus she...

 relationships are central to the programs and have resulted in SOS youth participants building strong morals, self-esteem and interpersonal skills.

During the 2008–2009 season, SOS served 5,000 youth at 32 mountain resorts nationally. SOS provided over 25,000 program days for underserved youth. 760 adults volunteered over 31,000 hours of service.

Mission statement

To build character in at-risk and underprivileged youth to enhance decision-making for healthy and successful life experiences.

Goals

1. Live the Core Values - Courage
   Courage
   Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation...
   
    / Discipline
   Discipline
   In its original sense, discipline is referred to systematic instruction given to disciples to train them as students in a craft or trade, or to follow a particular code of conduct or "order". Often, the phrase "to discipline" carries a negative connotation. This is because enforcement of order –...
   
    / Integrity
   Integrity
   Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions...
   
    / Wisdom
   Wisdom
   Wisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgements and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one's emotional reactions so that universal principles, reason and...
   
    / Compassion
   Compassion
   Compassion is a virtue — one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnection and humanism — foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood.There is an aspect of...
   
   
2. Provide a high quality adventure-based program that directly and positively impacts self-improvement
3. Support underserved youth through positive adult interaction
4. Create appropriate behavioral and environmental boundaries for youth
5. Provide opportunities for youth to improve and build social competencies
6. Encourage positive values
7. Expand current programming to provide follow-up opportunities for kids
8. Continue to develop new partnerships with schools, youth agencies, winter sports corporations and government agencies

Programs

SOS partners with mountain resorts, governmental agencies, youth agencies, foundations, private corporations, and outdoor enthusiasts to create an effective and efficient mountain adventure-based program for underserved youth. Program participants are eligible for a seven-year curriculum across three programs.

Exposure Programs:
Exposure programs provide Denver area youth with a two-day introduction to skiing and/or snowboarding and the SOS curriculum. The program incorporates core values of integrity and compassion. Program graduates are eligible for Learn to Ride. Participants are provided professional instruction, equipment rentals, lift tickets and clothing.

Learn to Ride:
Learn to Ride (LTR) is SOS’s year two experience. Participants receive five days of professional ski or snowboard instruction, equipment rental, lift tickets and clothing. The SOS curriculum distinguishes this program from any other mountain lesson by promoting self-image, positive relationships, social competencies and positive values. Each Learn to Ride session focuses on one of the five values central to the organization.

SOS University:
University features a multi-year curriculum. Similar to LTR, each of the five on-hill days focus on one of the SOS core values. Youth are paired with a mentor, called a Sherpa. Sherpas assist participants to set and achieve physical, academic and personal goals while completing the curriculum. In addition to five on-hill days each year, the participants complete:

Year I: Two service projects;
Year II: Two service projects and 10 additional hours (or three days) of group community projects;
Year III: One community engagement activity, interactive lecture on health, nutrition and fitness and the group develops and executes a community issue awareness campaign or a youth issue awareness project;
Year IV: One service project, course on job skills/readiness and resume building and an internship in the industry of the participant’s choosing; and Year V+: Graduates are empowered to return as Junior Sherpas.

Junior Sherpa:
After participants graduate from the SOS University Program, their next step is the Junior Sherpa program. This program was developed based on feedback from the University Program graduates.

The term "Sherpa" in the SOS program translates to "youth mentor." The Junior Sherpa works as an assistant to the Sherpa, and participates as a mentor to first and second-year University students. Junior Sherpas support the development of SOS University Program participants. When a youth reaches the Jr. Sherpa level, they are engaged in their sixth year of SOS programming, and have mastered the SOS core value curriculum of Courage

Courage

Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation...

, Discipline

Discipline

In its original sense, discipline is referred to systematic instruction given to disciples to train them as students in a craft or trade, or to follow a particular code of conduct or "order". Often, the phrase "to discipline" carries a negative connotation. This is because enforcement of order –...

, Integrity

Integrity

Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions...

, Wisdom

Wisdom

Wisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgements and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one's emotional reactions so that universal principles, reason and...

 and Compassion

Compassion

Compassion is a virtue — one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnection and humanism — foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood.There is an aspect of...

.

Monument Trip:
In conjunction with the Eagle County School District and the National Park Service, SOS Outreach guides four-day educational outdoor programs each spring. Each May and June, 4th graders visit Dinosaur National Park or Colorado National Monument.

Students camp and hike during these trips, visit park museums, study Colorado's pre-history and learn about the geology and biology of our parks. This trip culminates a year of traditional academic studies, allowing students to touch, see and feel the outdoors.

Peak Ascent:
The Peak Ascent program can be a life-changing experience for participants. Groups first hike to a base, where they will set up their camp with the necessary supplies for spending the night. The next day, the group will decide if they will be able to scale a mountain peak - one of Colorado's famed "14'ers," at an elevation of 14,000 feet or higher. If the group determines this is too demanding, they will set another goal and hike an alternate peak.

Throughout the multi-day program, students become acclimated to the outdoors, dependent upon themselves, their peers, and the adult mentors for basic needs.

Rock Climbing:
The Rock Climbing program offers youth ongoing outdoor adventure education opportunities. Rock Climbing pushes individuals physically, emotionally and mentally. All wilderness trips offer a backcountry climbing opportunity that many consider to be a life-changing experience.

Teams Course:
The SOS Outreach Teams Course is a microcosm of all its programs. The program guides groups of all ages through activities that build trust, communication, respect and collaboration.

Students actively participate in a variety of group activities that require collaborative problem-solving, and the obstacles get progressively more difficult as the group overcomes each problem. Groups are involved in everything from low-ropes courses to using one another to scale walls on an obstacle course.
Wilderness Trip:
The seven-day trips introduce youth groups to the Colorado backcountry. These trips include a day of teambuilding and preparing at the Minturn base camp and Teams Course. Everyone packs gear and food before departing for 5 additional days of backcountry adventure. Trips include elements of the rock climbing and peak ascent programs, in addition to hiking, camping in remote areas, carrying gear and working as a group, which teaches life skills, teamwork and leadership.

A typical trip has 11 youth, 2 adult chaperones, and 2 professionally-trained instructors.

Program impact

Each SOS participant completed the Protective Factors Scale, a pre- and post-evaluation of 10 protective factors. The scale was designed and is analyzed by Professor Peter Witt, [University of Texas A & M. The factors measured have a demonstrated impact on increasing resiliency skills for youth. During the 2007/2008 season, SOS saw an increase in all 10 areas of protective factors. Slide Share

Significant increases were seen in five of the 10 areas measured: Interested and caring adults (.25); Liking/perceived competence in snowsports (.24); Ability to work out conflicts (.20); Neighborhood resources (.18) and positive attitude toward the future/future expectations (.18)

SOS further completed a survey of 403 past participants who completed an SOS program from 2004–2005 forward. Nate Fristoe, RRC Associates, designed the survey and implementation plan and analyzed all data.

Using a countywide survey from Eagle County High School students as a baseline, results demonstrate SOS Participants:

1. Have a 25% lifetime conversion rate into winter sports (twice the industry rate).
2. Engage in significantly more aerobic exercise that there peers.
3. Test higher than their peers in measures of positive behavior and self-esteem.
4. Are more likely to graduate college and have household incomes 75% greater than non-degree holder.

Resort partners and mountains of operation

SOS Outreach partnered with 32 resorts around the nation to provide dynamice programs for underserved youth.

Resort Partners contribute lift tickets, instructors and rental equipment. Each resort gives what it can to provide for SOS outreach programs in their communities. They include:

1. Arizona Snowbowl, AZ
2. Beaver Creek
3. Vail Resorts, Inc.
4. Keystone
5. Breckenridge
6. Summit at Snoqualmie, WA
7. Copper Mountain, CO
8. Arapahoe Basin, CO
9. Durango Mountain, CO
10. Mt. Hood Meadows, OR
11. Steamboat Springs, CO
12. Angel Fire, NM
13. Echo Mountain, CO
14. Eldora, CO
15. Heavenly, CA
16. Hoodoo Mountain Resort, OR
17. Hunter Mountain, NY
18. Loveland, CO
19. Mt. LaCrosse, WI
20. Mt. Spokane, WA
21. Northstar-at-Tahoe, CA
22. Sierra-at-Tahoe, CA
23. Ski Santa Fe, NM
24. Sunlight Mountain, CO
25. Timberline, OR
26. Pat's Peak, NY
27. White Pass, WA
28. Windham Mountain, NY
29. Winter Park, CO

Youth agencies that work directly with SOS Outreach

1. "I Have a Dream" Foundation of Boulder County
2. 17th Judicial District Probation
3. 180 Snowboarding Team
4. 5th Judicial Probation
5. Abraham Lincoln High School
6. Aki Kurose Middle School Academy
7. Alternatives for Youth
8. Athletics and Beyond
9. Aurora North Middle School "Rough Riders"
10. Avon Elementary School
11. Battle Mountain High School
12. Beckwourth Mountain Club
13. Behavioral Health Resources
14. Benson High School
15. Berry Creek Middle School
16. Big Brothers Big Sisters - Bend
17. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nevada County
18. Big Brothers Big Sisters- Denver
19. Big Brothers Big Sisters/Neil A. Brusseau
20. Boulder County Post-Adoption Program
21. Boy Scout VCYI
22. Boys & Girls Club of Craig
23. Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe
24. Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows
25. Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County
26. Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver
27. Boys & Girls Club of La Crosse
28. Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe
29. Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows
30. Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver/Gates Camp
31. Boys Hope Girls Hope
32. BreakThrough Inc.
33. Breckenridge Elementary School
34. Brush Creek Elementary School
35. Buddy Mentors
36. Camp Fire USA Portland Metro Council
37. Camp Opportunity
38. Casa Juan Diego
39. Cascade Youth and Family Center
40. Casey Middle School
41. Catholic Charities
42. Catholic Charities - Kunsmiller Beacon Neighborhood Center
43. Catholic Community Services
44. Catholic Community Services - Olympia
45. Catholic Community Services of Western Washington Family Preservation
46. Centaurus High School L.I.F.E.
47. Centennial High School
48. Central Elementary
49. Chicago Public Schools
50. Choice for Change
51. City of Bellevue
52. City of Bellevue Teen Services
53. City of Englewood, Recreation Dept.
54. City of Eugene Outdoor Program, River House
55. City of Eugene’s River House Outdoor Program
56. City of South Lake Tahoe Parks and Recreation Department
57. City of Steamboat Springs Teen Programs
58. CityWILD
59. Club 412
60. Colorado National Guard
61. Colorado Springs Public Schools
62. Colorado Uplift
63. Colorow Elementary School
64. Colorow School
65. Committed Partners For Youth
66. Community Youth Services
67. Consejo Counseling and Referral Service
68. Craig Boys and Girls Club
69. Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
70. Cross Community Coalition/Family Resource Center
71. DCIS
72. Denver Big Picture Skyland Community HS
73. Denver Center for International Studies
74. Denver East High School
75. Denver Inner City Outtings
76. Denver Street School
77. Deschutes County Juvenile Community Justice
78. Dillon Valley Elementary
79. Doulos Ministries
80. Durango High School
81. Durango High School-Affective Development Program
82. Eagle County Charter Academy
83. Eagle River Youth Coalition
84. Eagle Valley Elementary School
85. Eagle Valley High School
86. Eagle Valley Middle School
87. EagleCrest - I-Team OUTBACK
88. Eastridge Elementary School
89. Edwards Elementary School
90. El Shaddai "Boy Scouts"
91. Englewood Parks and Recreation
92. Escalante Middle School
93. Excelsior Youth Center
94. Family of Woodstock, Inc.
95. Family Tree, Inc. (House of Hope Program)
96. Father Dyer United Methodist Church
97. First Descents
98. Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos
99. Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos/Cochiti Middle School
100. Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos/Zia Youth Group High School
101. Fletcher Elementary (COMPASS)
102. Florida Pitt Waller
103. Franklin Middle School
104. Fresno County EOC Sanctuary
105. Friends of the Children
106. Friends of the Children - King County
107. Friends of the Children-Portland
108. Frisco Elementary School
109. Front Range Early College
110. Front Range Earth Force
111. Full Circle of Lake County
112. Garden-Raised Bounty
113. Gateway Youth & Family Services
114. Girl Scouts of Colorado
115. Girls Incorporated
116. Greenwood Elementary
117. Griffith Centers for Children
118. Gypsum Creek Middle School
119. Gypsum Elementary School
120. Gypsum Recreation Center
121. Harrison High School
122. Harrison School District 2 Mountain Vista Comm. School
123. Heather Horton
124. Higgins Middle School
125. Highline Big Picture High School
126. I Have A Dream Foundation - Columbine Class
127. I Team Outback
128. Independent Mentor
129. Intercessory Youth Ministry
130. Intermountain Youth Center
131. Janus Youth Programs
132. Jefferson Hills
133. Joan Farely Academy
134. June Creek Elementary School
135. Kennedy High School
136. Kepner Middle School
137. Lab School for Creative Learning
138. Leslie Maclellan- Home School
139. Lewis and Clark Middle School
140. Life Cultivation
141. Mancos Middle/High School
142. Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center
143. McLain Community High School
144. Meadow Mountain Elementary School
145. Meadowbrook Community Center
146. Mercy Homes for Boys/Girls
147. Mental Health Association in Ulster County/Harbour Program
148. Mercer Island Youth & Family Services - Crest Alternative School
149. Mercer Island Youth & Family Services - Islander Middle School
150. MESA: Mapleton Expeditionary School of Arts
151. Metro Parks Tacoma
152. Metrocenter YMCA Earth Service Corps
153. Miller Middle School
154. Minturn Middle School
155. Montbello High School
156. Monument Valley High School
157. Mountain Journeys Ski and Snowboard Clinic
158. Mt. Scott High School
159. Mt. Scott Learning Centers
160. New America School
161. New Avenues for Youth
162. New Beginnings
163. North Lawndale College Prep School
164. Nueva Ventura
165. Oakridge SCF
166. Omega Youth Mentoring Program
167. Oregon Family Support Network
168. Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church
169. Our Lady of Tepeyac
170. P.A.C.E. Program
171. PATHS
172. Peabody Public Schools
173. Peak School
174. Phonix Program
175. Pitts Elementary School
176. Portland Impact
     Portland Impact
     Portland Impact is the former name of a nonprofit social service agency based in Portland, Oregon. It now conducts business as Impact NW....
     
     (Madison SUN Program)
177. Portland YouthBuilders
178. Project YESS at Mt. Hood Commuity College
179. Rainshadow CCHS
180. REACH CDC
181. REACH Skills for Living and Learning
182. Red Canyon High School
183. Red Hill Elementary School
184. Red Sandstone Elementary School
185. Reynolds Learning Academy
186. Rifle High School
187. Robert E. DeNier Youth Services Center
188. Robinswood High School
189. Rocky Mountain HDC
190. Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center
191. Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence
192. Saint Agnes Elementary School
193. Saint Bede the Venerable
194. Saint George
195. Saint Gregory the Great High School
196. Saint Ignatius
197. Saint Ita
198. Saint Pius
199. Sanctuary Art Center
200. Scriber Lake High School
201. Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation
202. Seattle Girls’ School
203. Seattle Parks O2 Program
204. Shred Love
205. Sierra Club
206. Silverthorne Elementary School
207. Silverton School of Expeditionary Learning
208. Skinner Middle School
209. Smiley Middle School
210. South Lake Tahoe Community
211. Southern Ute Community Action Programs
212. Squaxin Island Tribe
213. St. Clare of Assisi School
214. Stone Creek Elementary
215. Summer Quest
216. Summit County Homeschool Group
217. Summit Cove Elementary School
218. Summit High School
219. Summit Middle School
220. Synergy Residential Treatment Center
221. Tamarack Center
222. Taos Day School
223. Tennyson Center for Children
224. The City of Longmont
225. The Independent Living Program
226. The Learning Camp
227. The Link Project After School Program, City of Lakewood
228. The Network Charter School
229. The Odyssey School
230. The Urban Fostering GROUP
231. Tillicum Middle School
232. U.R.B.A.N.
233. University District Youth Center
234. Upper Blue Elementary School
235. Urban Family Center
236. Urban Peak Denver
237. Urban Scouting
238. Utah Future Olympians, c/o Mike Brand
239. Vail Academy
240. Vail Christian High School
241. Vail Mountain School
242. Vail Recreation District
243. Washington Middle School
244. West Career Academy (Goodwill Industries)
245. West Park Elementary
246. Western Eagle County Metro Recreation District
247. Wilson Middle School
248. Yakima Family YMCA
249. Yakima Police Athletic League
250. Yampah Mountain High School
251. YMCA Earth Service Corps
252. YMCA Meany Middle School
253. YMCA of Metro Denver
254. YMCA Transitions
255. Youth Health Associates
256. YouthTrack Jeffco

External links

• SOS Outreach
• SOS Outreach on Myspace
• Video: SOS Outreach Program Introduction on YouTube
• Making Online Donations to SOS Outreach
• SOS Outreach Northwest Programs Seattle & Portland