Boys Republic was founded in 1907 in an effort to treat troubled teenagers without sending them to jail with adult criminals. A Los Angeles-based program was later formed with the founding principles that would require youth to become responsible for their own actions, earn part of their way through a program of meaningful work, respectful of the rights of others, and accountable to their peers through a system of student self-government.
Steve McQueen, a 1946 alumnus of Boys Republic, served as Honorary National Della Robbia Campaign Chairman in 1966 and 1975
A start-up grant of $10,000 established the program in an old hotel, located in the San Fernando Valley. Two years later, in 1909, the facility opened at the organization’s present 200-acre site in Chino Hills. Despite a gradual expansion and evolution of its offerings, Boys Republic’s programs continue to embody the core values upon which the organization was founded over 100 years ago. From state-of-the-art vocational training in computer science to daily group counseling and interaction, great care is taken to assure that these experiences teach young adults the personal qualities needed of a citizen in today’s society – responsibility, diligence, respect for the rights of others and respect for himself.