About Natural
Born Champions
We help young people in Baltimore discover their strengths and build real pathways to their future, through career-connected programs, mentorship, and hands-on learning with an entrepreneurship lens.
WHO WE ARE
A hub of enrichment
programs built around every young person's potential.
Natural Born Champions (NBC) is a non-profit community intervention social-enterprise and hub of enrichment programs that presents an innovative strategy and action plan for students that helps improve math, literacy, workforce readiness, and life skills for ages 4 to 21 through an entrepreneurship lens.
Natural Born Champions empowers youth and families to break cycles of poverty and incarceration through education, mentorship, and workforce development, opening pathways to lifelong success, leadership, and community transformation.
We envision a world where youth and families rise beyond systemic barriers to build lives of purpose, power, and lasting success.
WHAT GUIDES US
OUR CORE VALUES
Our values of Accountability, Integrity, and Responsibility (AIR) breathe life into our work, inspiring young people and communities to rise, lead, and thrive.
A
Accountability
We take ownership of our actions, responsibilities, and results.
I
Integrity
We do what is right, even when no one is watching.
R
Responsibility
We understand that our choices affect the team, the young people, families, and the community.
BY THE NUMBERS
OUR IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY
A cradle-to-career journey serving Baltimore youth since 2018.
200+
Youth served annually
5
Active programs
8+
Active sites
4 to 24
Ages served
OUR STORY
Where NBC began, and where we are headed.
Natural Born Champions was founded in 2018 in Baltimore with a simple belief: every young person is born a champion, and with the right support they can break cycles of poverty and incarceration. What began with summer camps, where youth created their own businesses and ran pop-up shops, has grown into a full cradle-to-career ecosystem of before and after-school programs, summer enrichment, mentorship, and in-school interventions across Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Harford County.
Today, NBC serves 200 or more youth each year across 8-plus program sites, from elementary school through young adulthood, including young people involved in the juvenile justice system. Through academic support, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and workforce readiness, NBC meets youth where they are and walks alongside them toward where they can go. As NBC looks ahead, the mission continues to grow, with early learning through Little Champs Academy and a vision of a seamless pathway from a child's first steps to a lasting career.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND NBC
OUR TEAM
NBC is powered by a dedicated team of mentors, coaches, educators, and partners who show up for young people every day. Led by Executive Director Markia Beckwith alongside the team that makes the work possible.
Markia Beckwith
Founder & Executive Director
Founder and Executive Director of NBC, a Baltimore nonprofit helping young people break cycles of poverty and incarceration through education, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. She creates opportunities where youth discover their purpose, build real-world skills, and turn ideas into lasting impact.
Renard Simmons Jr.
NBC Lead Senior Mentor
A dedicated mentor who builds meaningful connections that help students grow in confidence, discover their purpose, and realize they are capable of far more than they imagined.
Avery Goldsborough
Program Director / Program Quality Assurance
A creative leader and former educator who designs experiences that help young people grow academically, personally, and professionally. She leads program operations, supports staff development, and ensures every participant has access to opportunities that build confidence and leadership.
Akiyah Smitherman
Senior Mentor
A creative leader passionate about entrepreneurship and mentorship, who creates welcoming spaces where students feel encouraged to dream bigger and build confidence.
D'Andre Gwynn Sr.
Staff Culture & Development Coordinator
A father, author, mentor, and youth advocate who helps young people turn adversity into opportunity, building confidence and character and reminding every student that their past does not determine their future.
Kayla Washington
Senior Mentor
A dedicated mentor who encourages students to step outside their comfort zones, embrace challenges, and build the confidence to pursue their goals with courage and resilience.
Alyric Knight
Executive Assistant
An educator, advocate, and lifelong learner who supports NBC's operations, coordinates key initiatives, and helps ensure the team has the tools to create meaningful opportunities for youth and families.