About Us
SOUL PROGRAMS
SOUL (Student-Athletes Organized to Understand Leadership) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that connects high school aged youth who are involved in sports to diverse opportunities that build the life skills needed to succeed in academics and careers. We do this by engaging students in our six core programs including: College Access Study Hall, Sister Circle, Young Men’s Roundtable, Sustainability Education and College 101. Through these programs, we assist students with their academic, interpersonal, and professional development. We place great emphasis on providing our student-athletes with the resources required to be critical-thinkers, effective communicators, problem-solvers, self-advocates, and practitioners of positive sportsmanship. We encourage our student-athletes to take the lessons they have learned in life and through SOUL programs to reimagine the future.
Our Mission
SOUL’s mission is to advise, advocate, and provide direct services and essential resources that empower low-income student-athletes to successfully transition into life after high school.
Our Story
SOUL Programs was established in June 2013 by Donald Curtis as a summer outreach initiative for six youth who resided in Washington DC’s Clay Terrace/Lincoln Heights community. In 2014, SOUL was introduced to DC Public Schools as a tutoring program for student-athletes at HD Woodson High School. At Woodson, our program offering expanded to include social emotional learning and postgraduate readiness.
In 2017, SOUL expanded our program to San Francisco, California in partnership with the San Francisco Coalition of Small School. This program ran for three, unfortunately the program was discontinued due to the global pandemic.
In 2018, we reached a milestone of 1,000 unique youth engaged through our youth enrichment programs. About 98% of our youth graduate from high school in four years, approximately 90% of our youth attend college after graduating from high school. In 2019, we stretched our services into Baltimore City Public School through a partnership with Mergenthaler Vocational High School.
Prior to March 2020, we engaged approximately two hundred youth in the program weekly. Due to COVID Pandemic, our youth engagement numbers fell by approximately 80% in April 2020. In response we altered our youth engagement approach, we provided referral social services support, created a meal delivery service for SOUL youth and alumni, and facilitated weekly virtual wellness checks clients. By August 2020, our weekly youth engagement numbers increased from fifteen youth to 130 youth.
Today, SOUL Programs work in partnership with other community-based organizations, DC Public Schools, District and Federal governmental agencies, and the private sector organizations to create access to sports and other postgraduate preparation for low-income youth. We provide direct services and programs to approximately 200 youth annually through their engagement in our youth enrichment programs, which run from September 1st to August 1st.
Key Accomplishments:
Raise a Toast Honoree, DC United and MOET Hennessey (2023), Project Play Champion Award, The Aspen Institute (2022), Martin Luther King Jr Visionary Award, American University (2020), AMEX Leadership Network, American Express (2019), Everyday Hero Award, Washington Nationals (2018), Community Champion Award, Washington Mystics & Capital One (2014), Building Better Brothers Award, Black Men Can Institute (2014), Community Assist Award, NBA Cares and Verizon Wireless (2013), Youth Coach of the Month Award, Washington Wizards (2013)
Student Trajectory
Each unique SOUL program will build from this platform and enhance the student experience from that programs’ specific mission.
Self Awareness
Cognitive Development
Social Norms
Accountability
Risky Behaviors
“SOUL helped us stay on track in school. We visit colleges, go to workshops, and meet mentors. Before SOUL I didn’t have a mentor!”
Tamara Tinker
Staff
Donald Curtis
Donald is the Founder and Executive Director of SOUL. He holds a B.S. from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a M.A. from American University. He completed his Executive Education in Innovation Management at the University of Maryland, College Park. He completed a Nonprofit Management program at Northwestern University via the Allstate Foundation. In 2019, he was selected by Ashoka and American Express as a Emerging Innovator. In 2020, he completed the Nonprofit Executive Management Program at Georgetown University.
Tyler Lee
Tyler is from Washington DC. He graduated from HD Woodson High School and is a current student at the University of the District of Columbia. He is also a SOUL programs alum from HD Woodson High School where he played both, varsity boys’ basketball and football for the Warriors. He will bring his vast understanding […]
Board Of Directors
In Memoriam of Brian Barrett (2019-2020)
Brian Barrett, co-founder of Ideogenics. Brian oversees all divisions and strategically directs the company as it delivers systems, services and solutions to U.S. federal and civilian clients. Brian earned his baccalaureate degree in computer science from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the University of Maryland.
Seth Blackely
Seth is the CEO and Co-founder of Evolent Health. Prior to Evolent Health, he held positions at The Advisory Board Company and Bain Captial Partners. He earned a BS from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Amy Bowser
Amy Bowser is a Managing Director in JLL’s Mid-Atlantic Brokerage Group. She has specialized in the Washington, DC office market since 1999 and currently is involved with the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), and the Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Association for Greater Washington DC (CREBA). Amy holds a B.A. in History from Clarion University of Pennsylvania.
Justin Gaither
Justin is a Senior Vice President – Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch. Born and raised in Wellesley, MA, he moved to DC in 1999 to attend Georgetown University where he earned a B.S. in economics. Justin helped found the Merrill Lynch, Washington, D.C. Community Service Board and acts as a mentor to undergraduate students through the Georgetown University Scholarship Program.
Matt Garcell
Matt Garcell is a Managing Director in the Washington, D.C. office of Cushman & Wakefield. Matt’s client portfolio includes Fortune 500 companies, law firms, not-for-profit organizations, technology, and media companies. Matt holds a B.S. in Science from Johnson and Wales University.
Michael Kirshbaum
Michael joined The Advisory Board Company in 1998 and became the CFO in February 2006 and treasurer in March 2007. Prior to his current role, CFO of the Education Advisory Board, Michael held a variety of positions across the finance group. Michael has a B.S. in Economics from Duke University.
Al Pearson
Al oversees community reinvestment partnerships for the Greater Washington Region of J.P. Morgan & Chase. He also serves as Vice Board Chairman of Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore, is a Trustee of the Maryland Council of Economic Education, and is the Co-President of the Maryland Bankers Community Reinvestment Group.
Mia Powers
Mia Powers is a Management and Program Analyst within the Access office for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Central Office. Recently, Ms. Powers moved to Washington, D.C. to help stand up a new program office to focus on Veterans access to healthcare from VA facilities around the country. Ms. Powers earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a Masters of Healthcare Administration from the University of Memphis.
Colin Rogister
Colin Rogister, served at the White House in the National Economic Council. He joined the Administration in 2012, where he worked in the Office of the Secretary at the US Department of Education. He began his career as a Bay Area Teach for America member. Colin is currently earning his MBA from the Harvard Business School.