Youth development at ArkBuilders means equipping young people in Central Ohio with the relationships, skills, and structure they need to navigate adolescence, succeed in school, and step into adulthood with confidence. Our programs serve youth ages 8 through 18 across Columbus — in schools, community centers, and faith settings — with a particular focus on at-risk youth and young people of color who are too often left out of traditional opportunity pipelines.
Our approach blends life skills, mentorship, and positive activity — from basketball and academic enrichment to leadership development and youth-led advocacy. Each program is designed by practitioners with decades of frontline experience and informed by what actually works for young people in our community.
Aim High
A combined life-skills and basketball development program for boys and girls ages 8-14. Aim High pairs structured athletic training with mentorship, character development, academic support, and exposure to positive role models. Sessions run during the school year and summer in partnership with Columbus Recreation and Parks.
Purpose Academy
A program for middle and high school students ages 14-18 designed to help young people identify their purpose, develop healthy coping strategies, navigate adolescent challenges, and turn their goals into action. Purpose Academy combines small-group conversation, mentorship, and project-based learning to build the social, emotional, and decision-making skills that lead to long-term success.
Incubator for Success
Incubators for Success gives young people in Columbus a real platform to speak on the issues affecting their lives, develop leadership and advocacy skills, and lead change in their own schools and neighborhoods. Past cohorts have carried community mental-health messages from Columbus to Washington, D.C.
