True North Leadership Academy

Valor Basketball was created to be more than just a basketball team.

The vision is to use athletics as an extension of leadership development — reinforcing accountability, discipline, teamwork, communication, mentorship, and service through competition and shared standards.

At TNLA, leadership comes first.

Valor Basketball is designed to help bring those leadership principles to life through athletics.

If you know any incoming 9th grade students in Colorado Springs, who may be interested in leadership development, mentorship, community service, and basketball, I’d love to connect with them and their families.

A lot of young people don’t need someone to “save” them.

They need consistency.

They need people who believe in them, challenge them, hold them accountable, and help guide them in the right direction.

That’s a big part of the vision behind True North Leadership Academy (TNLA).

Creating an environment where leadership, discipline, mentorship, accountability, and service are practiced consistently over time.

Because strong leadership development doesn’t happen overnight.

If you’d like to support the mission or follow the journey:
https://secure.givelively.org/donate/veterans-collaborative/true-north-leadership-academy

True North Leadership Academy (TNLA) is designed to go beyond just leadership discussions.

Students in the program will participate in community service projects, team-building experiences, leadership workshops, mentorship, and real-world leadership application.

The goal is to create an environment where leadership is practiced consistently through discipline, accountability, communication, teamwork, and service.

Leadership development has to be intentional.

One thing life has taught me is that leadership is often modeled long before it’s ever taught.

Young people pay attention to consistency.

They notice how adults respond under pressure, how they communicate, how they treat people, and whether their actions match their words.

A lot of leadership development starts long before someone is ever given a title or responsibility.

That’s part of the vision behind True North Leadership Academy (TNLA).

Creating an environment where leadership, accountability, communication, and service are practiced consistently—not just talked about.

One of the most important parts of building True North Leadership Academy (TNLA) is making sure it actually works in a real school environment.

That’s why I’m currently developing a Leadership Lab within a local charter school.

This program brings structured leadership development directly into the school setting for middle school students—focused on discipline, accountability, communication, teamwork, and service.

This is where the foundation is built.

TNLA then builds on that foundation at the high school level through a small, focused 9th grade cohort designed for deeper leadership development and real-world application.

It’s not just a program—it’s a pipeline.

Develop leaders early.
Continue that development through high school.

That’s the vision behind TNLA.

Big step forward for True North Leadership Academy (TNLA).

TNLA is now officially operating under a nonprofit structure through a partnership with Veterans Collaborative.

This allows us to begin accepting support as we continue building a structured leadership program focused on discipline, accountability, and real-world development for high school students (starting with 9th grade) here in Colorado Springs.

I’m grateful for the support so far and excited about what’s ahead as we move toward our Fall 2026 launch.

If you’re interested in getting involved or supporting what we’re building, I’d be happy to connect.

Learn more or support here:
https://secure.givelively.org/donate/veterans-collaborative/true-north-leadership-academy?utm_campaign=share_button&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_source=copylink&utm_content=campaign_page

Donate Now | True North Leadership Academy by Veterans Collaborative True North Leadership Academy (TNLA) is a veteran-led youth leadership development program based in Colorado Springs. The program provides structured leadership educat...

What kind of student is TNLA built for?

Not the one who just wants to get by.
The one who wants more.

True North Leadership Academy is for high school students (starting with 9th grade) who:

• Want to grow and challenge themselves
• Need structure, discipline, and accountability
• Are capable of more—but need the right environment to reach it

This isn’t about participation.
It’s about growth, habits, and leadership development that actually sticks.

We’re building something different here in Colorado Springs—
a program focused on discipline, accountability, communication, and real-world application.

If that sounds like something your student needs—or something you believe in—we’d love to connect.

📍 Colorado Springs
🚀 Launching Fall 2026

Learn more:
www.tnlacademy.org