Developing Minds.
Strengthening Bodies.
Building Leaders.

Strong Mind – Strong Body, Inc. delivers youth development, school culture, wellness, and accountability programming to schools, athletic programs, and families across the United States and internationally.

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2,000+ Youth & Families Served
5 Countries
5 Active Programs
US · Ghana · Nigeria
Canada · Vietnam International Reach
Our Programs

Built for Real Impact

Every program we deliver is built around one belief: that when people have structure, relationships, and the right support, they make better decisions and build better lives. Each of our six programs is grounded in empirical evidence and designed to produce measurable outcomes for the students, schools, and families we serve. Below are the six ways we put that belief into practice, grouped into the three areas of work they fall under.

Youth Development & Schools

The upstream work: building school environments, physical and mental discipline, and a clear sense of self before pressure arrives.

SMSB Inc. speaker addressing students seated in bleachers at a school assembly
School Culture & Climate · Schools & Districts
C.A.R.E. for Schools
Culture and Climate Advancement for Responsive Education

The C.A.R.E. Program aims to enhance and nurture the culture and climate in educational institutions, fostering an environment where students, teachers, staff, and parents feel valued, engaged, and supported. We work directly with principals, faculty, and school leaders to build environments where every student can thrive. The goal is to create a positive and inclusive school culture that contributes to student success, well-being, and community involvement.

Problems We Address

  • Student belonging
  • School culture and climate
  • Identity development
  • Leadership
  • Conflict response
  • Positive coping strategies
  • Accountability
  • Student engagement

What We Deliver

  • Student workshops
  • Staff professional development
  • Climate-building activities
  • Leadership sessions
  • Customized programming built around your school's specific data and goals

Example in Practice

A middle school experiencing rising disciplinary incidents engages C.A.R.E. for Schools. Over four weeks, we facilitate student workshops on identity and belonging, deliver PD sessions for staff, and co-create a school-wide accountability plan with leadership — resulting in measurable reductions in referrals and increased student connectedness scores.

Request a School Consultation
Youth completing an outdoor ropes course challenge
Wellness & Fitness · Youth & Families
FitMind – FitBody

FitMind – FitBody is rooted in over a decade of applied experience as a collegiate coach, certified personal trainer, and graduate study in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Physiology. That foundation shapes every session — connecting physical conditioning to mental discipline, goal setting, and lifelong wellness habits in a way that is grounded in exercise science, not guesswork. Designed for youth and families who want to build a healthier lifestyle from the inside out, this program pairs structured fitness with the mindset tools that make results last. When you train with SMSB, Inc., you are working with someone who understands the body, the science behind performance, and the demands of athletic development at every level.

Example in Practice

A high school athlete works with Coach Boone through an eight-week strength and conditioning program built around their individual goals and assessed physical baseline. Each week pairs a science-informed training session with a goal-setting check-in. By the final week, improvements in strength, speed, and movement mechanics are tracked alongside measurable gains in focus and self-discipline — tools that carry well beyond the gym or the season.

Start Your Wellness Journey
Diverse group of young men in Strong Mind Strong Body shirts celebrating on a hilltop
Identity & Media Literacy · Students & Communities
A Tale of Two Worlds: Media, History and Black Masculinity

A workshop experience exploring Black masculinity, identity, media narratives, stereotypes, and the lived realities of Black students and professionals. Developed and refined through years of delivery in collegiate settings, including a January term course at a NESCAC institution open to the full student body, this workshop has demonstrated its relevance and impact across academic, professional, and community contexts.

Example in Practice

Offered as a January term course at a NESCAC institution and open to the full student body, participants examine the ways Black identity is shaped by media, history, and societal expectation. Through structured dialogue and critical analysis, students engage with questions of self-presentation, dual identity, and how to navigate spaces where they are often underrepresented — leaving with a clearer sense of who they are and how to show up in any room they enter.

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Accountability & Justice

One curriculum spine, two points on the same arc — reaching young people before they become justice-involved, and adults working their way back after incarceration.

Personal Development · Young Men
The Accountability Project

A preventative education program designed to help students make better decisions in real-world environments. The program is especially relevant for young men and student-athletes who are often navigating pressure, attention, social expectations, peer influence, technology, relationships, and high-stakes opportunity pathways at the same time. Grounded in research on adolescent development and positive behavioral intervention, the program uses four evidence-based pillars: Own It, Read the Room, Communicate, and Follow Through. This is a practical tool for students, parents, coaches, and administrators to use before problems occur.

Example in Practice

A group of 12 young men participates in a four-week Accountability Project cohort at their school. Each week centers on a real-world scenario: a conflict with a teacher, a missed opportunity, a decision under pressure. Participants learn to name the situation, identify their role in it, and choose a response that protects their future rather than compromising it.

Bring This to Your Program
Reentry & Recidivism Reform · Adults
Breaking Barriers
Empowering Diverse Identities in Recidivism Reform

A four-week program that examines the complex interplay between identity and recidivism. Through a curated series of interactive sessions, participants build a deeper understanding of the layered challenges facing individuals entangled in the criminal justice system — and of their own place within them. The work is introspective and honest: participants surface the stories behind recidivism and trace its implications for themselves, their families, and the communities they are returning to. Breaking Barriers addresses the barriers adults face coming home from incarceration. The Accountability Project does the upstream work, reaching young people before they become justice-involved. Together, the two programs cover the full arc.

Problems We Address

  • Identity and self-perception after incarceration
  • The drivers of recidivism
  • Stigma and reentry barriers
  • Empathy and perspective-taking
  • Accountability and decision-making
  • Reconnection with family and community

What We Deliver

  • Four weekly interactive sessions
  • Facilitated group dialogue
  • Guided self-reflection and identity work
  • Small-cohort delivery in halfway house and reentry settings
  • Curriculum adapted to facility schedules and cohort size

In Practice: Pharos House

Delivered in spring 2024 at Pharos House, a halfway house serving men and women returning from incarceration in Portland, Maine. Eight residents completed the four-week cohort, working through sessions on identity, the drivers of recidivism, and the barriers they face coming home.

Bring This to Your Facility

Access & Opportunity

Independent guidance for families navigating school placement, admissions, and financial aid without a roadmap of their own.

Roosevelt Boone observing practice from the sideline at Atlanta Falcons training camp
College & Prep School Access · Students & Families
B.E.A.R.S.

Boone's Educational & Athletic Recruiting Services exists to put independent college and prep school guidance within reach of families who would otherwise go without it. Private placement advising is expensive, and the families who most need a roadmap — first-generation students, aid-seeking households, and international families with no line into the U.S. system — are the least likely to have one. B.E.A.R.S. closes that gap. We help students identify schools that fit academically and athletically, navigate admissions and financial aid, and build a plan that holds up over four years. The program is offered on a sliding scale, so what a family pays reflects what a family can pay.

Who Guides Our Students

Our advisors have sat on every side of this process. One served as Director of Admissions at a NESCAC institution, among the most academically selective conferences in the country, and the seat where applications are read, weighed, and answered. Another served as a class dean in the same conference, advising more than 1,100 students. Our senior advisor co-led the 27-member advisor team at IMG Academy, and brings evaluation experience running from a personnel and scouting internship with the Atlanta Falcons through Division I coaching and recruiting coordination to player engagement in the Big Ten.

Example in Practice

A family in Nigeria reaches out after hearing about B.E.A.R.S. through our international network. Their son is a talented footballer with academic potential, but no roadmap to U.S. opportunities and no way to pay for one. B.E.A.R.S. identifies college preparatory programs that fit, supports the admissions process, pursues the financial aid that makes enrollment possible, and builds a four-year plan that positions him for both academic success and collegiate athletics.

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Advocacy & Media

Restoring Our Future w/Ro

A restorative justice interview series hosted by Roosevelt Boone, built on one-on-one conversations with formerly incarcerated men and women. Each guest speaks to the same three things: growing up in inner-city America, the reality of their incarceration, and how they are using their second chance to right past wrongs. Five of the seven guests are D.C. natives or D.C. practitioners, among them the first incarcerated person elected to office in District government. The series is the public-facing companion to Breaking Barriers.

7 Episodes · 2021 · Hosted by Roosevelt Boone

Listen on Spotify
Restoring Our Future w/Ro podcast cover art: A Restorative Justice Support Podcast, from Strong Mind – Strong Body, Inc.
The Series
  1. 01
    Joel Castón, Restoring Our Future From the Inside Out

    In June 2021, Joel Castón was elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for 7F07 — the first incarcerated person to hold a position in D.C. government. He discusses his upbringing in inner-city Washington, his preparation for release, and how he is helping other incarcerated men prepare for theirs.

  2. 02
    Ed Martell, Second Chances Don't Come Often

    A high school dropout, drug dealer, and felon, Edward Martell was challenged by the judge in his own case to apply the skills he had used in the streets to legitimate business. He now practices criminal defense with the Perkins Law Group.

  3. 03
    29-Years of Healing

    Lee Baker, a D.C. native and Dunbar High School graduate, left the city on a full football scholarship to Virginia Tech and returned as a result of legal trouble. He founded DemiGawd Athletics, which has helped over 40 D.C. youth earn college scholarship opportunities.

  4. 04
    Ronald Rasul Johnson, The Reality is What You See!

    Founder and president of YardOut Fitness in Philadelphia. During eleven years of incarceration, Ronald chose to build a different way of living, and now uses personal training to teach young people to invest in themselves as business owners.

  5. 05
    Marquette White, Attempt to Cure the Streets

    MarQuette White is site supervisor at Cure the Streets in Washington, D.C., the Office of the Attorney General's public safety pilot working to reduce gun violence. He and his team serve Ward 8, the most economically disadvantaged of the District's eight wards.

  6. 06
    Andre Norman, The Consequences of Our Actions

    After fourteen years in the federal penitentiary, Andre Norman taught himself to heal from the childhood trauma he carried out of inner-city Boston. He is the author of Turning Poverty and Prison into a Purpose Driven Life and founder of Academy of Hope, a violence reduction prison program.

  7. 07
    Lashonia Thompson-El, My Search for Redemption

    A D.C. native who served 18.5 years for a violent crime committed as a young woman. She founded The W.I.R.E. (Women Involved in Reentry Efforts), which provides social support to women who are incarcerated, women returning home, and their families.

What Families Are Saying

Real Families. Real Outcomes.

The stories below are from families who trusted SMSB, Inc. with some of the most important decisions of their student-athlete's life.

B.E.A.R.S.
“

Working with B.E.A.R.S. was life-changing for our family as Divine pursued educational and athletic opportunities in the United States from Lagos, Nigeria. As an international family, the process felt overwhelming at first.

B.E.A.R.S. supported us through every step. The guidance went far beyond athletic recruiting. B.E.A.R.S. helped with the school and visa application process, communication with Christchurch School, Divine's arrival in the United States, transportation to campus, and the transition support he needed, including help with basic necessities like a cell phone and clothing.

Over time, that support continued. Divine spent three years in high school in the United States, growing academically, athletically, and personally. B.E.A.R.S. remained involved throughout his journey, providing mentorship, guidance, and consistent communication with our family.

Today, Divine is a student-athlete at the University of Idaho, where he earned a full scholarship as a member of the football program. What stands out most is that B.E.A.R.S. treated Divine as more than an athlete. He was supported as a student, as a young man, and as someone adjusting to a new country, school system, and opportunity.

For international families considering educational and athletic opportunities in the United States, B.E.A.R.S. offers trusted guidance, personal care, and support that extends far beyond the recruiting process.

Ego M. Parent, Lagos, Nigeria B.E.A.R.S.
“

Working with B.E.A.R.S. was an incredibly valuable experience for our family as we navigated the U.S. independent school and athletic recruiting process from Canada.

From the beginning, B.E.A.R.S. helped us understand the landscape of elite preparatory schools, athletic programs, admissions expectations, financial aid considerations, and long-term academic and athletic fit. The process was structured, intentional, and highly personalized, which was especially important for us as an international family.

Ultimately, Zachary enrolled at a boarding school in Rhode Island and earned over $300,000 in financial aid across his time there, making an outstanding educational opportunity possible.

We are grateful for the guidance, professionalism, and personal investment B.E.A.R.S. provided and would recommend the program to families seeking trusted support through the independent school and athletic recruiting process.

The Hopkinson Family Toronto, Canada B.E.A.R.S.
“

Being a student-athlete in this process, Roosevelt allowed me to feel comfortable, which gave me increased trust in him immediately. Not only did Ro guide my parents clearly, but he also shared all the information and knowledge that I needed in a clear and confident way so I knew what to expect.

What I loved was that he was honest and realistic. With his extensive experience, he gave me a clear idea of where he saw me fitting into the right structure, academically and athletically.

I would highly recommend B.E.A.R.S. for any international student-athlete looking to explore opportunities within the U.S. independent school system.

Zach Student-Athlete, Toronto, Canada B.E.A.R.S.
FitMind – FitBody
“

From the moment I reached out to Coach Boone to inquire about his coaching services, he was incredibly responsive and professional. He scheduled a training session for my son the very next day, which I truly appreciated.

Coach Boone is not only on time and professional, but he's also hands-on and actively engaged during training. He doesn't just call out drills from the sidelines — he gets involved, demonstrates techniques, and makes sure his clients understand how to properly execute each movement. When something isn't done correctly, he corrects it with patience and encouragement rather than criticism.

My son is a late bloomer to football, and I was a bit nervous about how he'd feel starting out. But Coach Boone made him feel completely comfortable from the start. He created a positive, welcoming environment that allowed my son to train without feeling lost or overwhelmed. His energy, patience, and passion for coaching truly shine through.

Laila C. Parent, Columbia, MD FitMind – FitBody
“

Coach Boone was next level and very professional. He took the time to explain the reasoning behind each drill so my kid understood the 'why,' not just the 'how.'

What stood out the most was that he didn't just instruct from the sidelines — he worked out side by side with the kids. That kind of leadership and involvement makes a huge difference.

Jeff H. Parent, Portland, ME FitMind – FitBody
“

Coach Roosevelt is an excellent coach. I have overall sharpened my skills and built great technique while training with him. I have trained with other coaches in the past and his knowledge of the game is by far the best I have witnessed.

He builds character and instills a hard work ethic in his players and trainees. I highly recommend Coach Roosevelt for your training needs.

Jamauri C. Student-Athlete, Atlanta, GA FitMind – FitBody
About SMSB, Inc.

We don't run programs.
We build systems of support.

Strong Mind – Strong Body, Inc. was founded by Roosevelt C. Boone, a former student-athlete, collegiate coach, and educator, alongside his mother and co-founder Alice M. Boone, who serves as Executive Director. Built on the belief that every young person, regardless of zip code, deserves access to the people, tools, and programs that make long-term success possible, what began in 2011 as wellness and nutrition summer camps has grown over 15 years into a multi-program organization that has served over 2,000 children and families across the United States, Ghana, Nigeria, Canada, and Vietnam. Together, Roosevelt and Alice have built an organization focused on practical, culturally responsive programming that helps students make informed decisions, access opportunity, and develop the mindset, habits, and support systems necessary for long-term success.

Roosevelt Boone, Founder of SMSB, Inc.

Roosevelt Boone

Founder & President

Alice M. Boone, Executive Director of SMSB, Inc.

Alice M. Boone

Co-Founder & Executive Director

Get in Touch With Our Team
Let's Talk

Let's Start a Conversation.

Every engagement begins with a free 30-minute consultation. No pitch — just a real conversation about your school, your program, or your student-athlete's goals. We'll tell you exactly where SMSB, Inc. can help and what that looks like in practice.

Schedule Your Free Consultation

Or reach us directly: (571) 252-9814  ·  Mother.son@strongmind-strongbodyinc.org