Wyman and The Camp Coca-Cola Foundation, who have partnered for the past five years to create an innovative and successful youth development program, announced today they will bring that partnership to a close. Locally, Camp Coca-Cola St. Louis will now be known as the Wyman Teen Leadership Program.

“While we are thrilled with the outstanding results we have seen with this program, we also recognize that this change will give us greater freedom and flexibility to administer and modify the program to meet the needs of local youth,” said David Hilliard, Wyman president.

Wyman, having been on the cutting edge of youth development initiatives for more than a century, will continue this program as its signature youth development initiative. Wyman’s Institute for Youth Development, which developed the program, will also explore ways to extend this and its other signature program, the Wyman Teen Outreach Program, to benefit more deserving youth in local, regional and national markets.

Funding agreements between Wyman and The Foundation, which have been matched with gifts and pledges from St. Louis donors, will ensure a smooth transition of the program over the next few years while leaving in place a significant endowment to help continue it for future generations of St. Louis youth.

Wyman was originally selected by the Foundation in 2001 to help it create the program model and operate Camp Coca-Cola St. Louis as the first in a system of youth development programs. Based on the positive results seen in St. Louis, the program expanded to Atlanta, Boston and Texas.

“A program such as this could not have been created without a partnership that brought together the expertise of Wyman and the financial support of a Foundation backed by a leading corporate partner like Coca-Cola.,” noted Hilliard.

The Foundation now has established a new funding and governance model and is considering a new name. It plans to research new markets, with the goal of expanding programming in other cities where local partners will create regional boards of directors to oversee program funding and management.

“We are thrilled to know that the work they have done will continue to benefit youth in St. Louis and other markets around the country,” added Hilliard. “We wish them well, even as we move forward locally with the Wyman Teen Leadership program.”