Giving Compass' Take:

•  Kristin Marguerite Doidge, writing for GOOD Sports, discusses the mentorship program called Stoked, that uses sports to build leadership skills for young people. 

• Why is it important for kids to have mentors at an early age? 

• Read about why more students need mentors. 

Some of our best ideas come to us when we get outside and play.

Such was the case when Steve Larosiliere, a busy marketing executive, was snowboarding in Whistler, British Columbia, in 2004, and found himself thinking of his 17-year-old mentee back in New York.

Realizing many of the kids he worked with back home had never experienced the adrenaline rush of being on top of a mountain or the feeling of putting their feet on a snowboard, he thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if my mentee could come snowboarding with me?”

It became clear the skills needed in action sports — self-reliance, perseverance, drive, dedication — all translate to necessary life skills that urban youth need to better their futures. With that inspiration in mind, Stoked was born.

Developed in partnership with TV host and fellow Haitian Sal Masekela, Stoked is an at-risk youth development and mentorship program designed to build character and leadership skills through action sports, such as skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing. The organization, which has served 4,000 young people, started in New York, grew to include students in Los Angeles, and expanded to Chicago in 2017.

Read the full article about the Stoked program using action sports to mentor youth by Kristin Marguerite Doidge at GOOD Sports.