In the fall of 2009, a group of concerned parents and educators in Idaho asked Ryan Redman to teach mindfulness to students in the Wood River Valley. With over 9 years of experience in teaching meditation, three years of intensive study of contemplative practices in India, and a strong desire to serve the community that shaped his childhood, Ryan began designing a three-month program for 5th-grade students at Bellevue Elementary.  

In the winter of 2010, Ryan entered one fifth grade classroom and for 30 minutes a week introduced children to secular mindfulness practices that supported the cultivation of attention, stress reduction, and kindness. To everyone’s great surprise, the students were deeply interested in exploring their inner-life and appreciated the time to relax and steady their minds. Within two years this program expanded exponentially into 22 classrooms.

In 2011 Flourish Foundation was co-founded by Ryan Redman, Katie Corkery, and Eryn Michaud, and the initial in-class instruction evolved into what is now our Mindful Awareness Program (MAP). Today, many Flourish-trained facilitators teach a secular mindfulness curriculum weekly in Idaho, Wyoming, South Africa, and New York City.

MAP is one of two flagship programs at Flourish. The other is the Compassionate Leaders Program (CLP). Whereas MAP teaches in schools K-12, CLP is an extracurricular program that supports high school juniors, seniors, and college students in creating an intentional youth community dedicated to creating a better world through personal transformation, human values, and community service. 

In 2014 Noah Koski joined the Flourish Foundation and steped into a roll as Compassionate Leaders Program Director, it quickly became a defining force in his life. Noah found in Flourish not just a program, but a purpose. The values at its core resonated deeply and became the foundation upon which he built his adult life.

Paralleling the growth of MAP in schools, the Compassionate Leaders Program expanded from just 6 students a year to more than 90 growing into the largest teen leadership program in the Wood River Valley in Idaho. Compassionate Leaders have shown up with open hearts and a genuine desire to learn, serve, and connect, not only in Idaho, but on many international trips to India, Morocco, South Africa, Mexico, Philippines, and Hawaii.

When the next chapter called and Noah moved to New York City, he didn't leave Flourish behind but brought it with him. A new city, with its energy, diversity, and endless potential, became the backdrop for an exciting expansion, as Noah set his sights on carrying Flourish's mission forward and introducing it to an entirely new community.