Heart of a Champion Foundation

The Heart of a Champion Foundation is a U.S. based non-profit organization aiming to change the hearts of middle and high school students by using the Heart of a Champion character development program. This comprehensive nine-month program teaches a powerful message of character by utilizing innovative print and video materials as well as other ancillary items. Heart of a Champion trains educators to effectively implement the program in schools across the United States. The mission of Heart of a Champion is to create sustained change in young people and to create a culture of character in the nation's schools.
Heart of a Champion was founded in 1997 by a group of business leaders across the country. These individuals partnered with the United States Department of Education to conduct extensive research into character education in the nation’s schools. Out of that research was born the Heart of a Champion character development program. Since the foundation’s inception, hundreds of thousands of students have been reached by this innovative approach to teaching character.
Heart of a Champion Founder and Board Chairman, Steve Riach, has testified before the United States Congress on the issues of school safety and character education. Riach was invited to speak before a joint meeting of the House Education and Labor subcommittees on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, and Healthy Families and Communities.
Over the past twelve years, Heart of a Champion has worked hard to be recognized as one of the leaders in character education. Each year, Heart of a Champion staff presents at national character conferences and travels the country teaching educators how to reach the hearts of their students.
Over 100 middle and high schools in 23 states are currently using the Heart of a Champion program. The foundation has worked hard to develop a strong presence in Houston, Kansas City, and New York. The curriculum can also be found in every middle school in both the Oklahoma City and Grand Rapids, Michigan school districts. Heart of a Champion has also been expanded to reach alternative education outlets such as Rikers Island Prison in New York and the Tarrant County Juvenile Justice Center in Fort Worth.
The success of Heart of a Champion can be attributed in part to the foundation’s innovative approach to fundraising. The program has been funded across the country by private partnerships with organizations such as the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Express Employment Professionals, Coca-Cola, and many others. Thanks to the support of these partners, over 50,000 middle and high school students are helping Heart of a Champion earn a reputation as one of the premiere character education programs in the nation.
Heart of a Champion has partnered two key initiatives: The Torii Hunter Project and Dallas Elevators powered by Coca-Cola
One of Heart of a Champion’s key initiatives is a strategic partnership with Major League Baseball All-Star Torii Hunter. The Torii Hunter Project is a comprehensive, long-term effort to impact youth in need in various parts of the United States. The project’s Education Initiative, believed to be the first such comprehensive educational effort initiated by a professional athlete, focuses on two aspects: the Heart of a Champion character education curriculum, which will be delivered to middle school and junior high school students in Anaheim, CA, Pine Bluff, AR, Minneapolis, MN, and Las Vegas, NV; and the scholarship program, which will provide college scholarships to 100 students from Anaheim, Pine Bluff and Las Vegas, NV over the next four years. The effort is being assisted by the Angels Baseball Foundation. Scholarship recipients will be selected from the in Orange, CA, the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas, NV, and the Pine Bluff, AR school district.
Dallas Elevators powered by Coca-Cola is an exciting initiative designed to help elevate young people in Greater Dallas. The program was developed to give students an opportunity to elevate their lives, through a dynamic curriculum and a series of unique professional experiences. The core mission of the program encourages students to elevate their skills in the classroom, at home, in extra curricular activities, and wherever their interests lie. The Elevators program is designed to provide real life inspiration to high school students. The program will address several key areas of personal development through structured learning and interaction with leaders from diverse industries. The program launched in September 2008 with the , endorsed by area role models including Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa, Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars, artist Brad Oldham, basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman, and many others. Students in the program are trained in the Heart of a Champion character development curriculum, and participate in one-of-a-kind experiences shadowing business professionals and community leaders.

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