The Youth Peace Olympics (YPO) began as a South Baton Rouge and North Philadelphia collaboration under the watchful eye of the Rev. Mary L. Wade, Ph.D. and members of Building Respect in Communities (BRIC). The unique three-fold focus of the YPO that began in Philadelphia in 2011 are character-building, sportsmanship and commitment to peace and non-violence. With that focus, YPO, a youth violence prevention program for youth ages 10-17, began in the Baton Rouge area in 2014.

YPO offers a comprehensive program aimed at empowering and inspiring young minds to become leaders for positive change within their communities. The program is specifically designed to teach values such as nonviolent conflict resolution, financial literacy, civic responsibility, academic success and career development. Teens can also expect to participate in indoor and outdoor activities, such as sports, art, music, S.T.E.A.M. projects and more! Youth meet every fourth Saturday from May to August, and also enjoy field trips and extracurricular activities during the summer months. In September, YPO teens will have the opportunity to be celebrated and show off their talents during the Closing Ceremony.