Youth Frontiers - Courage, Kindness, and Respect

Minneapolis-based Youth Frontiers really cares how our kids treat each other, and their one-day retreats for students are having a positive impact on students and drawing rave reviews from school officials who have utilized the program.

Youth Frontiers was founded in 1987 by Joe Cavanaugh, who had a vision and a goal of making school a more positive experience for all students by encouraging change in the way kids treat each other. The focus is on teaching the values of kindness, courage, and respect, using music, dance, games, and group activities. Although their initial focus was middle and high school students, Youth Frontiers now provides programs for elementary students and faculty as well.

According to Youth Frontiers presenters and representatives, their core principles are quality, caring, and growth, and their 2025 goals are:

1. Changing the way young people treat each other in every hallway, lunch line and classroom of every school in America

2. Re-establishing teaching as an honorable and respected profession

3. Being known as one of the model organizations in the country

In one of the most recently held retreats, 7th graders from six southwestern Minnesota schools met at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Worthington, Minnesota for two half-day sessions called "The Courage Retreat." There were three coordinators and several school volunteers who organized and presented the retreat, which cost approximately $5,000 and was attended by about 325 kids.