Dear Aim High family,

Aim High began as a small Martial Arts school back in 2005 and grew into the multifaceted organization it is today because of the amazing people within. After joining Aim High as a student back in 2013, I saw just how amazing the company was and how much potential it had to continue impacting the lives of those it serves. While Aim High is no longer the small Martial Arts school it was, the values that came from that era will always be the root of Aim High. Kindness. Respect. Integrity. Treat others with the kindness you deserve to be treated with. Respect yourself, others, and the world around you. Act with integrity in everything you do. This is the Aim High way.

The passion for helping others that sparked the beginning of Aim High has grown stronger and stronger over the years and has fueled our growth. Aim High now consists of four major departments: Aim High Academy of Martial Arts, Aim High Impact, Aim High Events, and Aim High Ink.

Aim High Academy of Martial Arts (AHAMA) teaches several styles of martial arts to children and adults of all ages while instilling the values of kindness, respect, and integrity. We teach our students the importance of treating themselves, others, and the world around them with kindness and respect and encourage them to lead and inspire others to do the same.

Aim High Impact provides Applied Behavior Analysis treatment to children diagnosed with severe autism. Impact specializes in severe and/or aggressive behaviors and strives to take on those clients that have been turned away from other, less equipped, providers.

Aim High Events provides camps, birthday parties and other youth events to those within and outside of the Aim High community. On average, Aim High Events hosts 11 weeks of summer camps and 10 day camps throughout the year in order to support families in need by providing safe and fun learning environments. In addition, Aim High Events teaches and develops job skills in the youth that are hired to assist the Events Manager.

Aim High Ink is a small screen printing shop that provides high quality, hand-made, cost efficient goods to businesses, big and small, in our local community and beyond. Aim High Ink strives to hire, teach and train at-risk youth and young adults with disabilities in order to set them up for success.

Of all the things that Aim High does, we are first and foremost a resource center for youth and families. Myself and the staff here at Aim High are dedicated to helping others in any way we can. I plan on continuing Aim High’s trajectory and expanding its impact in the community.

Sincerely,

Doug Ownby

Executive Director of Aim High PDX