The Ron Burton Training Village

RBTV will bring its life-changing philosophy, curriculum, resources and formula for success to thousands of underserved young people across the country and potentially globally. RBTV has traditionally provided its services in a hands-on, face-to-face environment to 500 children annually. The Covid-19 pandemic changed all of that and kickstarted a switch to a comprehensive, high-impact digital approach that has grown exponentially and garnered an enthusiastic response from enrolled youth and our community educational and corporate partners alike. Our community partners were challenged to help staff design/launch consecutive interactive online experiences that would engage and ensure consistent participation and ongoing interest while continuing to advance program and organizational goals and objectives. Since a majority of our young participants come from low-income homes, many within federal poverty guidelines, our first priority was to ensure that they had the proper technical equipment – laptops or tablets – and internet access. Several of our community partners (Bose, Amazon Robotics) rose to the challenge and made in kind donations of equipment. Free internet access was secured for all who needed it. In conclusion, RBTV now has an online learning management system the expansion and development of which is only limited by our current levels of staffing/resources. 

Ron Burton, award-winning professional running back for the New England Patriots, top-performing corporate executive and dedicated philanthropist, positively impacted the lives of thousands of young people, and thousands have multiplied that impact over the past 36 years. In 1985, utilizing his personal savings, Ron acquired 305 acres of thickly forested property in Hubbardston, Massachusetts. His goal was to create an organization that would be a real game changer for youth who were growing up as he had, challenged by poverty, family dysfunction, racial bias and social exclusion. Since his death in 2003, his family has continued his tradition of building up and developing strong and resourceful community leaders through a model of service based in love, peace, patience and humility. RBTV provides underserved youth from middle school through college, internships and career placement - with the resources and philosophy they need to build successful lives. RBTV alumni become high-achieving and productive members of society pursuing careers in law, finance, medicine, technology, education and many other fields of endeavor. Our goal is to expand our high-impact, outcome-based whole-person service delivery system to many more young people by providing both expanded on-campus programming and amplified digital outreach. 

A report commissioned by the Annie E. Casey Foundation determined that In Massachusetts, one in eight kids lives at the federal poverty level, one in four lives in a low income family, and one in three lives below the Family Economic Self Sufficiency Level. Single parents head 81% of the 84,000+ families living below the poverty line. A higher proportion of black (29%) and Latino (36%) children live in poor families compared to white children (7%). For most minorities, disparities in assets such as home ownership are far greater than disparities in income. The inequality is passed down from one generation to another when there is no private family wealth to draw upon to gain economic leverage. Children from poor families are twice as likely to repeat a grade and three times as likely to be expelled from school. These problems have been exacerbated significantly by the Coronavirus pandemic. A minority led nonprofit organization, RBTV has been leveling the playing field between low income, primarily minority kids and their more advantaged peers for 36 years. Through character and leadership development, educational advancement, physical fitness/good health awareness/practices, and spiritual growth, RBTV changes thousands of lives.

RBTV addresses the whole person with multi-year, multi-tiered programming starting when he or she is in middle school and ending when a career placement is obtained. While many organizations have a singular focus, RBTV incorporates all of the factors that influence and impact an individual’s growth and development and addresses them as an integral part of our ongoing philosophical approach, curriculum and extra-curricular activities. We provide the quality of education, depth of experience, network of support and limitless opportunity that is typically only enjoyed by children of far more affluent and influential families than those we serve. RBTV has meticulously and strategically recruited a cadre of more than 70 top business and education leaders across Boston and beyond who not only sit on our executive advisory board, but work directly as mentors to our youth. Business leaders volunteer at our events, present at our youth symposiums, facilitate class activities and provide resources for internships and job placements. They get to know our kids, help them build on their strengths and stay focused on meeting challenges and reaching their goals. A successful life is well-rounded and built on a solid platform of faith in God and doing the hard work. 

RBTV provides material/economic supports to participants, but our approach/impact is far greater than simply elevating individuals to more comfortable lives for themselves. We are raising up the next generation of leaders of character who are hard-working, compassionate and humane in a world that desperately needs mindful and just leadership. We take our founder’s commitment to teaching others to live lives reflecting the tenets of love, peace, patience and humility as our guiding philosophy and consider character building every bit as basic a goal as educational attainment and career building. We raise leaders who have faced and conquered their own challenges through hard work, persistence and courage, and have helped and been helped along the way by others. They are committed to lives of service to humanity, understanding that in order to help others, they must first help themselves and be in a position to offer a hand up to the next generation. In 36 years, 10,000+ young people have spent their formative years with RBTV and are out there making a difference in the world, whether erecting schools in Central America or serving in their own neighborhoods. With greater resources, we can do more, and our impact can reach further.