Our Story
A History of Champions
Global Champions, founded in Colorado in 1995, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering high-risk and underserved youth through education, mentorship, and community engagement. Originating as a grassroots movement, it has grown into a nationwide network fostering leadership, life skills, and resilience. Through innovative, evidence-based programs, Global Champions helps young people overcome challenges and create lasting positive change in their communities.
Education Rooted in Compassion
Founded in 1990, the initiative began as a small, high-impact pilot project focused on innovative approaches to youth engagement. Following measurable success, it expanded to several Middle and High schools across central Colorado. Recognized for its proven efficacy with high-risk youth, the program was invited by the State of New York to scale its model regionally. During this period, leadership transitioned the Colorado operations to a secondary implementation team while concurrently launching an international deployment in Taiwan, addressing a rising public health concern among teen drug use.
From Pilot to Nationwide Success
The program experienced explosive growth in Taiwan, quickly expanding from a small pilot initiative to a nationwide movement reaching schools and communities across multiple regions. Its success was driven by positive student outcomes and a deep cultural alignment with youth empowerment and education reform. Within a short time the program became a recognized model for effective engagement and measurable impact in Middle School and High School students. This rapid expansion continues to shape innovative approaches to youth development throughout Taiwan.
Regional Growth in the United States
In the United States driven by a small team of passionate volunteers committed to addressing local community needs allowed for adaptation and hands-on involvement in North Carolina, Northern California, and Kansas, tailoring activities to each region’s student’s challenges. This regional expansion laid the foundation for broader implementation while maintaining the personal, volunteer-driven spirit at the heart of the program.
Covid and Pivot
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization was forced to pivot from its original classroom-based launch in Kansas and the greater Midwest region. With schools shifting to remote and hybrid models, in-person implementation became increasingly difficult. The team recognized greater opportunities for collaboration and community engagement in Southern California, where the founders reside and maintain strong local education and nonprofit networks. The region’s diverse population, higher access to digital infrastructure, and emphasis on youth well-being provided an ideal environment for adaptive programming. This strategic shift allowed the organization to sustain growth while remaining aligned with its mission to support students through changing educational landscapes.
Scaling and Digital Access
In its next phase, the organization is focused on fully digitalizing its curriculum to make learning more accessible to students across Southern California and beyond. All materials are being adapted into the region’s three most commonly used languages—English, Spanish, and Chinese—to ensure inclusivity and cultural reach. While maintaining its strong commitment to public school students, the organization is also expanding its offerings to include university-level workforce preparedness and corporate training programs. This evolution reflects a broader mission: to bridge education, career readiness, and community impact through technology-driven, multilingual learning solutions.