Formally established in Los Angeles in 1922, Woodcraft Rangers grew out of a movement started by author-artist-naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton in 1902 when a group of boys vandalized his home. Rather than prosecute, Seton decided to invite the boys to his property for a weekend of storytelling and nature experiences. This action triggered the formation of an on-going youth development program. Over the decades Woodcraft Rangers has modified Seton’s original emphasis on outdoor life to incorporate activities that meet the needs of an increasingly urban population, but the goal of changing behavior and encouraging positive outcomes through interaction and education remains central to what we do today. By providing structured activities, a safe environment, and adult guidance, Woodcraft Rangers offers a positive alternative to the boredom and negative peer pressures that can lead to juvenile delinquency.

Woodcraft Rangers' Nvision Afterschool Program engages students (ages 6-18 years) in fun and stimulating group activities that measurably enhance their educational success now and benefit them well into the future.

The program also provides constructive alternatives for children during their non-school hours, when too many would otherwise be roaming the streets, engaging in behavior that puts them, their families and neighbors at risk. 

The program serves more than 18,000 students from over 60 public schools in high-need neighborhoods of Los Angeles County including the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, Central Los Angeles, South Central/Watts, and Southeast (e.g., Huntington Park and South Gate).