Esp Education And Leadership Institute Inc

Our mission is to inspire, equip and empower under-resourced and/or economically disadvantaged boys to be transformed, through mastery of foundational pillars and Good to Great principles, as well as the excellence we showcase, moving them from passenger to driver in their life's journey.

We beta tested the BOSS™ concept as part of the Taste of the Game events we presented at Super Bowls 43-50. We achieved proof of concept through 2, two-week camps in Los Angeles and a two-week camp in the Bay Area. We moved from Challengers Boys & Girls Club to the campus of Long Beach State University and the College of Business in 2017 and rebooted operations from the College of Business. BOSS™ has evolved into an integrated academic enrichment, leadership, life skills and personal development “process” with an initial goal (the “process” includes leadership, life and noncognitive skills development) of increasing the number of our target middle school boys who attain proficiency in the core content areas; take Algebra as 8th graders; achieve proficient/advanced status in reading and math by the end of 8th grade; are high school ready entering 9th; and college ready entering the 12th grade at a time when nearly ¾ of those same boys are exiting high school WITHOUT MEETING the requirements to even apply to a 4-year college or university. We are pleased to report that BOSS scholars have outperformed their peers on all metrics tracked for 4 consecutive years.

The “process” starts in middle school with an intensive 2-week summer camp. We continue our engagement through year-round programming that includes academic coaching, mentoring, real world experiences and opportunities for advocacy and service.

Our historical accomplishments include:
1. 63% higher math proficiency, 30% higher reading proficiency that LAUSD and LBUSD peers
2. 99% (77 of 79) post-secondary education or career training rate
3. Seven (7) consecutive years of across the board outperform by our BOSS scholars versus their non-BOSS peers on all metrics tracked by the DOE;
4. Award-winning (MIT Global Appathon for Good) and now patented mobile app, Safe Encounter https://youtu.be/263hlOuwYbw?si=BDbvoxn8wUqToULv
5. Most money raised, most unique donors and most unique peer pages among mid-sized nonprofits in the 2022 - 2025 Long Beach Gives campaigns
6. Partnership with the College of Engineering at CSULB providing in-kind space and the opportunity to build a team of academic advisors/mentors and tutors for our BOSS scholars;
7. Selected as SCE's Community Partner of 2025 https://youtu.be/G3MjW9JIBmg?si=4xL6K5dWcMt6fCuE
8. Selected as a Super Bowl LVI Legacy Program “Champion” organization from among hundreds of community partners of the Chargers and Rams based on the transformative impact our supporters see us making here in Southern CA https://youtu.be/0DtJGLLEh1c?si=YUGjQ9MRjbF4nqGF
9. Selected as a Jrue & Lauren Holiday (NBA Champion/Olympic Gold Medalist) Social Justice Impact Fund/JLH Foundation grantee based on our work combating systemic racism and socioeconomic inequality for Black and Brown communities
10. Featured in a recent edition of the Long Beach Business Journal due to documented impact and positive results;
11. Selected by LA Rams, from among the hundreds of organizations they support, for inclusion in the $750,000 Giving Tuesday effort of LA Rams players to support Southern CA social justice nonprofits.

Our topmost pressing needs include:

Raising $500,000 to implement recommendations contained in our recently completed strategic plan to build capacity by strengthening current staffing and programming; scale our impact to change the life trajectories of so many more of OUR boys, and finalizing our policies and procedures manual to enable us to begin executing our strategy of presenting BOSS to current and professional athletes as an alternative to the most unsuccessful practice of pro athletes starting their own foundations; expand our professional staff (program director, fundraising professional) to help us strengthen our program offerings and leverage the momentum we've created to move the organization from success to significance.

Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties

I am living proof and an example of what can happen if we intervene in the life of a boy and provide academic enrichment, life skills, personal development and non-cognitive skills development resources continuously...not a day, an event or a weekend, but systematic intervention over years the same way we have designed ESP to provide.

Born into a family with an alcoholic dad and a stay-at-home mom with but a high school education, I was able to rise above my circumstances to become a leading attorney and sport industry pioneer gripped and driven by what I know is possible for boys just like me, committed to their success and prosperity.

The marketing of Black inferiority and White superiority as building blocks for the founding of America is a chicken that has finally come home to roost. We're instilling in our boys the philosophies and principles that will prepare them to survive and thrive in spite of, to win no matter what!

I was identified as a high potential youngster as a 6th grader and spent the summers between grades 6-12 participating in enrichment programs. The experiences, and the adults I met who encouraged me, gave me a sense of confidence and purpose strong enough to confront and overcome all the obstacles I saw in my path to excelling academically and ultimately joining the ranks of the successful.

Ryan Delaney is Chairman of the Board of BOSS, Inc.

Students from minority or low income backgrounds face barriers to success every day, often facing unequal treatment or injustice. BOSS addresses these issues that are in the national and global headlines by providing these boys, starting in middle school and continuing to and through college, with the resources and guidance to put them on a college and career success track.

In 5 years, BOSS has grown from a few students in South Central to well over 100 boys from schools throughout LA and Orange counties. At the request of the LBUSD Board, we were invited to work with LBUSD students. We have done so with great acclaim: and the first group of boys who have aged up to complete high school are now matriculating into college. We consider our work thus far to be a resounding success and strive for me.

From a governance perspective, we are almost at the point where we can make the transition from the current "all volunteers" effort to a true, full, nonprofit organization with a small but critical number of full-time staff. On a positive note, we fell well-partnered to deliver a robust, expanding curriculum of STEAM academics, financial literacy, life and networking skills, and mentorship. Where we most need help is with incremental funding. It can be accurately said that "we are dong well; but we need your help."

Rather than spend to budget, we have built a reserve fund to bring on the first two paid staff members. When we hit the hiring threshold amount, we will be able to make that transition.

When I was a child, poverty and skin color meant I had "failure" stamped on my forehead. But teachers saw potential, pulled me aside and guided me to success. They did it for me. I have to do this. It's my turn; it drives us every day