ABOUT
MISSION STATEMENT
At Waypoint, we guide youth toward purpose and independence by providing a safe, empowering environment where they build skills, explore passions, and grow into confident, contributing members of their community.
OUR FAITH
Waypoint is grounded in a commitment to follow Jesus and serve others as an expression of His love.
We believe that investing in young people is part of building God’s Kingdom — helping students discover their purpose, grow in confidence, and become leaders who bring hope and strength to their communities.
Our desire is to reflect the compassion, encouragement, grace, and truth of Christ in everything we do.
“HE UPHOLDS THE CAUSE OF THE OPPRESSED AND GIVES FOOD TO THE HUNGRY.”
PSALMS 146:7
“ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
JEREMIAH 29:11
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
1 PETER 4:10
COMPASS
RESILIENCE TRAINING
Compass is our resiliency and self-authoring initiative, woven into every program.
Developed in response to the challenges many youth faced during and after the pandemic, Compass helps young people build emotional strength, reflect on their personal story, set meaningful goals, and take ownership of their future.
A key focus of Compass is Durable Skills — practical life skills that remain valuable even when modern conveniences or technology are unavailable.
BODY, MIND, and SPIRIT
We nurture the whole person through activities that strengthen:
Body – physical health, sports, nutrition, and outdoor adventures
Mind – academic support, critical thinking, creativity, and career exploration (one dedicated day each week in our Summer Program.)
Spirit – We operate all our programs using the tenets of the Christian faith. While we welcome youth of all backgrounds and beliefs, and participation in spiritual activities is always voluntary, our foundation is rooted in the God of the Bible. We seek to help every young person discover the hope, purpose, and peace found in a relationship with their Creator.
CIRCLE OF COURAGE
AND SOFT SKILLS
The Circle of Courage and Scripture beautifully align.
The same four needs God has placed in every human heart echo throughout the Bible.
We are made:
1. For community (Belonging)
2. To steward our gifts (Mastery)
3. To walk in responsibility and freedom (Independence)
4. To live generously as Christ lived (Generosity)
The Circle of Courage is a proven model of positive youth development that identifies four universal growth needs every child has:
1. Belonging – feeling valued, respected, and part of a caring community.
2. Mastery – developing skills and experiencing success
3. Independence – learning responsibility, self-discipline, and decision-making.
4. Generosity – giving back and showing care for others.
These four principles are not new ideas. They beautifully reflect earlier scholarly work in psychology.
For example:
They closely mirror Stanley Coopersmith’s foundational research on self-esteem (1967), which identified significance, competence, power, and virtue as the four building blocks of healthy self-worth.
They align with Self-Determination Theory in modern psychology, which emphasizes relatedness (belonging), competence (mastery), and autonomy (independence).
Resilience researchers and positive psychology scholars have consistently shown that when these needs are met, young people develop strength, confidence, and the ability to thrive.
Career Development & Workforce Training
Waypoint is passionate about helping students prepare for their futures through meaningful career development and workforce opportunities.
We provide hands-on opportunities for career exploration by connecting students with skilled mentors, vocational training sessions, leadership development, and real-world work experience. Through programs like our student-operated food service initiatives and workforce development opportunities, students gain practical skills, confidence, responsibility, teamwork, and exposure to potential career paths.
Our goal is not only to help young people dream about their futures, but to equip them with the tools, experiences, and support needed to pursue those dreams with confidence.
We believe every student deserves opportunities to discover their strengths, develop valuable life skills, and realize their God-given potential.
GET INVOLVED
Since our first day, Waypoint has provided all our services free to every child in need. We rely on our neighbors' generosity to keep the doors open & the lights on. 100% of your donations support Waypoint's after-school and summer programs. Thank you for coming alongside us and helping us continue to fulfill our mission to serve every child who comes through our doors.