Committee Chairs: Ryan Taylor ryandeantaylor@gmail.com and Steve Winners at steve.winners@me.com

Team Kids is a nonprofit organization committed to empowering children to change the world. Team Kids’ flagship program is the school-based, 5-week Team Kids Challenge, a research-based, and empirically validated approach to youth development. Kicking off with Wednesday’s assembly led by Team Kids staff, police officers, and firefighters, the program delivers lessons about critical community issues, such as homelessness, hunger, literacy, and the environment. Every student is invited to participate in a weekly challenge, such as collecting food or clothing.

5th and 6th Graders may volunteer on the Leadership Team once a week during Monday lunch recess, further enhancing their skills and abilities as leaders. 4th Graders may volunteer on the Junior Leadership Team.

These teams will plan a Schoolwide Carnival Fundraiser for the last week of the Challenge on Friday, April 13th (during school) to raise funds for a charitable cause of their choice, providing real assistance to children and families in need of food, shelter, and other care.

To give students an even greater sense of impact, Team Kids ensures that 100% of the funds and resources raised are donated directly to a nonprofit identified and selected by students. Past recipients of students’ efforts have included the American Red Cross, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Make-A-Wish, Illumination Foundation, OC Rescue Mission, Orangewood Children’s Foundation, Second Harvest Food Bank, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and several schools. Since 2001, Team Kids Challenge participants have raised more than $600,000 in cash and in-kind donations for nonprofits such as these.

The Team Kids Challenge is delivered at no charge to participating students and schools.

For more about Team Kids, please click here.