The 1st Quarter, LLC is an organization dedicated to building character in our youth through an educational curriculum. The program was started by two retired NFL players and professional educators, dedicated to teaching youth life changing truths. Gill Byrd, former San Diego Charger, is the managing member of the 1st Quarter. The curriculum uses the appeal of professional athletes to motivate students to not only learn the material but to apply it to their lives. Schools in Wisconsin and California have successfully used the program (link to testimonials page) that is now available nationally.

Our Name:
Sporting events are often divided into quarters or halves. Most athletes will tell you that the first quarter is critical for feeling out their opponents, for trying different strategies and for making adjustments. It's the time of the game where most mistakes are made but it's also the time for establishing the momentum that will directly affect the game's final outcome.

What's true in sports is often true in life in general. Our lives can also be broken into quarters with adolescence falling into the first quarter. It's at this point in life that young people experiment, make mistakes, make adjustments and begin to develop a foundation of values and character that will last a lifetime. The lessons they learn and the decisions they make at this critical juncture will affect the quality of life they lead and their "final outcome". It's for this reason, that we've named our curriculum "The 1st Quarter".

Our Vision:
To be a leader in building character in our youth, helping them to develop life skills needed to live successful lives and to get involved and contribute in their homes and communities.

Our Mission:
To take our youth from conscious incompetence to conscious competence through an educational curriculum.