Sparking passion through purpose and giving youth the tools to not only survive life’s challenges, but to thrive in spite of them.

Thrivival Academy

Thrivival Academy Youth Center Logo Omaha, NE

What We Do

  • Thrivival Academy family partner family support services in Omaha Nebraska

    Family Partner & Support

    Thrivival Academy offers vital support services to empower youth and families, with a special focus on gang-affiliated youth, fostering resilience and community connection. Our programs guide families to better understand and navigate complex systems, build stronger communication and advocacy skills, and tap into community resources for lasting stability. We work to reduce youth criminogenic risk, meet probation and court goals, and promote safe, sustainable home environments while minimizing reliance on emergency interventions or formal systems. Every child and family deserves a dedicated support worker to unlock their potential and strengthen their community. Thrivival Academy is essential for breaking cycles of hardship, ensuring safer futures, and empowering self-sufficiency. Probation officers, families, and donors: your support makes this transformative impact possible. Join us in building brighter, stronger communities.

  • Thrivival Academy day reporting services in Omaha Nebraska

    Day Reporting

    Thrivival Academy’s Day Reporting Program is a transformative initiative for youth navigating serious challenges, including school suspension or expulsion. We know that young people on the cusp of adulthood need structure, accountability, and encouragement to unlock their potential. Our program provides a safe, nurturing environment that empowers youth to reengage with education, develop practical life skills, and embrace values for a successful future.

    Through dedicated study time and engaging programming, youth make academic progress while also building social connections and learning skills like financial literacy and home economics. We view every young person through a strengths-based lens. A youth labeled a “drug dealer,” for example, may in fact be a budding entrepreneur with talents in marketing, logistics, and finance. At Thrivival Academy, we help redirect those skills toward legitimate opportunities that create lasting success.

    Above all, we instill values of honor, courage, and commitment — teaching youth to do what’s right in the face of adversity and to become the best version of themselves. By combining accountability with opportunity, our Day Reporting Program reduces risk, strengthens families, and builds safer communities.

  • Thrivival Academy evening reporting services in Omaha Nebraska

    Evening Reporting

    Thrivival Academy’s Evening Reporting Program provides structure and guidance during critical after-school hours when many youth are most at risk. Our program combines supervised education and study time with engaging, hands-on enrichment activities that broaden horizons and spark passion.

    We go beyond tutoring by introducing youth to experiences they may have never tried before. This includes music appreciation, creative arts, and new sports like racquetball or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. We also equip them with practical life skills such as cooking and nutrition, self-care, woodworking, auto repair, and home management, ensuring they leave with knowledge they can carry into adulthood.

    At Thrivival Academy, we believe that every young person has untapped potential. We help youth explore their unique interests and build a customized curriculum that keeps them engaged in positive, pro-social activities. Whether it is video production, music creation, or mastering a new trade, we provide the tools, mentorship, and network to help youth pursue their passions and see a future worth striving for.

    Evening Reporting does more than keep youth supervised. It inspires them to discover who they are, what they can do, and where they belong. By combining accountability with opportunity, we reduce risk, foster growth, and strengthen families and communities alike.

  • Thrivival Academy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes in Omaha, NE

    Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) Classes

    Thrivival Academy offers year-round Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training led by Brown Belt Isaiah Grant, a dedicated practitioner and mentor. BJJ is more than a martial art — it is a humbling experience that teaches discipline, respect, and perseverance. On the mats, youth learn that success comes through patience, hard work, and humility.

    BJJ connects young people to a community of positive role models. Many practitioners are military veterans, law enforcement officers, and individuals who have turned their lives around through the discipline of martial arts. Training alongside these examples gives youth access to a peer group that models resilience, accountability, and integrity.

    For youth, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu provides a healthy physical outlet and an environment where self-control and self-mastery are developed every day. It shifts their energy into something constructive, builds confidence through progress, and encourages them to set and achieve meaningful goals.

    At Thrivival Academy, BJJ is not just about self-defense — it is about shaping character, building confidence, and surrounding youth with the kind of influences that help them thrive both on and off the mats.

  • Thrivival Academy St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Tarrance Barlow spiritual counseling in Omaha Nebraska

    Spiritual Counseling

    In partnership with Pastor Tarrence Barlow, St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church offers free spiritual counseling to the families of the youth we serve. We recognize that when a young person is facing challenges, the entire family is impacted. Spiritual counseling provides a safe and compassionate space for families to find encouragement, reflect on values, and strengthen their faith as they navigate difficult times.

    Pastor Barlow brings both pastoral wisdom and deep community commitment, offering families guidance that promotes healing, resilience, and hope. This service is offered at no cost because we believe every family deserves the opportunity to receive support that strengthens their spiritual and emotional foundation. By caring for families as a whole, Thrivival Academy helps ensure that youth are surrounded by positive influences and a community rooted in faith, love, and accountability.

  • Thrivival Academy Summer Camp Omaha Nebraska

    Summer Camp

    Overnight Summer Camp: Digital Detox & Outdoor Adventure

    We are planning to start a summer camp program. If you have any interest or experience in the area your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Who We Are

At Thrivival Academy, we help youth discover their unique purpose and build a clear path toward their goals. Our name reflects our philosophy: surviving challenges is not enough, we teach youth how to thrive in spite of them.

Based in Omaha, Nebraska, Thrivival Academy partners with families, community organizations, businesses, and government resources to provide structured, supportive programs that build resilience, accountability, and life skills.

Our Core Services

  • Family Partner Services – One-on-one guidance to strengthen family relationships, improve communication, and connect families with resources that create stability at home.

  • Day Reporting – A safe, structured alternative to detention during school hours that emphasizes education, accountability, and growth.

  • Evening Reporting – Supervised after-school and evening programming that combines tutoring, enrichment, and pro-social recreation.

  • Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) Classes – Year-round martial arts training that instills discipline, confidence, self-defense, and respect.

  • Overnight Summer Camp – A digital detox experience where youth reconnect with nature through fishing, archery, canoeing, and wilderness survival.

What sets Thrivival Academy apart is our tailor-made approach. Each program is built around the individual goals and passions of the youth we serve. Whether it is mastering a new skill, improving academics, or exploring a creative outlet, we provide the mentorship and connections that turn potential into success.

Thrivival Academy is led by Chad Cawthon, in partnership with Pastor Tarrence Barlow of St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church and community mentor Isaiah Grant. Rooted in service, faith, and the belief that with the right support every young person can redirect their path, Thrivival Academy equips youth not only to survive life’s challenges but to thrive beyond them.

Learn more
Thrivival Academy at St. Matthews Missionary Baptist Church 1001 N 30th St. Omaha, NE 68131

Contact Us

We’re eager to grow our network for the betterment of the community. If you or someone you know is in need of support, we encourage you to reach out. If we cannot provide the help directly, we will connect you with the right resources to get what you need. Fill out this form and a member of our team will be in touch shortly. Together we can strengthen families, support youth, and build a safer, stronger community.

Here is our Amazon registry if you would like to help: