The Missouri Ozarks · near Branson
A Missouri Christian boarding school for boys, near Branson.
Future Men is a Missouri Christian boarding school for young men ages 14 to 20, where struggling boys learn to take ownership and become men. Since 2002, families from Missouri and across the country have sent their sons to our campus near Branson, Missouri. Every student is discipled by Christian men, works toward graduating with a diploma in hand and learns a trade with a local business.
The short answer
Is there a Christian boarding school in Missouri for struggling boys?
Yes. Future Men is a Christian boarding school near Branson, Missouri for young men ages 14 to 20. Every week combines Christian discipleship, accredited school and a trade learned at a local business. The school is registered with the Missouri Department of Social Services under the state’s residential care facility law (HB 557), and its academics are accredited by Cognia.
It is intentionally small, with 18 to 20 students, and founder Aaron Boldman has led it since 2002. A typical stay is 9 to 18 months. Year-round admission. Emergency placements available upon request.
- Serving families since
- 2002
- Location
- Near Branson
- Ages served
- 14–20
- Students
- 18–20
Why Future Men is different
Faith, school and a real trade.
Rooted in the Missouri Ozarks.
Few schools in Missouri or anywhere else bring faith, school and a trade together. Future Men does all three. Your son lives alongside Christian men who hold him accountable, earns high school credits on a plan built for him and works at a local business every Tuesday and Thursday, learning a trade.
- Pillar 01
Christian discipleship
Christian men live on campus and walk through each day with your son. Bible studies, vulnerable one-on-one conversations and consistent accountability are the minimum standards at Future Men.
Learn more - Pillar 02
Accredited academics
Coursework accredited by Cognia and prescribed for each student, with staff alongside students every day, helping them catch up to where they need to be, earn high school credits and graduate with a diploma in hand.
Learn more - Pillar 03
Trades & apprenticeships
Every Tuesday and Thursday, every student works at a local business learning a real trade. Students graduate not only knowing the theory of becoming a man, but with the experience of working a real job with genuine responsibilities.
Learn more
Where we are
Near Branson.
Within a day’s drive.
Near Branson
The campus sits on private, wooded land in the Missouri Ozarks. Students work at local businesses every Tuesday and Thursday, and visiting families have plenty of places to stay nearby.
From Springfield
Springfield is the region’s hub. Families fly into Springfield-Branson National Airport, and the drive south to campus through the Ozarks is straightforward.
From Kansas City, St. Louis and beyond
Families from across Missouri and neighboring Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas can reach campus in a day’s drive. If your son comes from a bigger city, distance from old friends and old habits is part of the point.
State oversight
Choosing a boarding school in Missouri after HB 557.
Missouri’s faith-based youth programs came under intense scrutiny in 2020 and 2021. The result was House Bill 557, the Residential Care Facility Notification Act, which brought license-exempt, faith-based residential programs under state oversight. They must register with the Department of Social Services, and the adults who work there must complete background checks.
That accountability is good for families and good for your son. Future Men is registered with the Missouri Department of Social Services as a license-exempt, faith-based residential care facility, every adult completes state-required background checks, and staff live on campus. Our academics are separately accredited by Cognia.
Evaluating any Missouri program? Ask to see its DSS registration, ask exactly how parents and sons stay in contact, and ask who accredits the school. A good program will answer quickly.
Since 2002
A Missouri school
with Ozark roots.
- Founded in 2002 by Aaron Boldman, an educator since 1989 with Missouri secondary education certification
- A wooded Ozark campus with a gym, a weight room and plenty of outdoor work
- A trade with a local business, every Tuesday and Thursday
- Injured raccoons, owls and deer on campus, because Aaron is a Missouri state-licensed wildlife rehabilitator
- Accredited by Cognia
- Registered with Missouri DSS under HB 557
The right fit
Who Future Men is for, and who it is not for.
Our admissions team reviews every situation individually to decide whether Future Men is the right place for your son.
Often a good fit when
- He is 14 to 20 years old and drifting, defiant or unmotivated.
- He is behind in school and needs to make up what he missed.
- He needs hard work, structure and a strong man in his daily life.
- Your family wants an approach rooted in the Christian faith.
Not the right place when
- He needs medical detox, hospital-level psychiatric care, or licensed therapy as the core of his care.
- He is in immediate danger of harming himself or someone else.
- Your family wants a secular, non-religious program.
Future Men is Christian mentoring and discipleship. We do not provide licensed therapy or psychiatric care. Not every mental-health need can be safely served here. If your son is in crisis right now, call or text 988 or call 911.
In a parent’s words
What a parent says
“As I write, Pete is married, has an 11-month-old son, has a job he enjoys, is attending technical college and is an active member of his church. Watching him grow from a foolish adolescent to a responsible, godly man has been one of the true joys of my life.”
Are Christian boarding schools in Missouri regulated?
Yes. Since the Residential Care Facility Notification Act (HB 557) took effect in 2021, license-exempt, faith-based residential programs must register with the Missouri Department of Social Services, and the adults who work there must complete background checks. Future Men is registered with the department as a license-exempt, faith-based residential care facility. Safety and oversight.
Is there a Christian boarding school near Branson, Missouri?
Yes. Future Men is a Christian boarding school near Branson, Missouri, for boys and young men ages 14 to 20.
Is there a Christian boarding school for boys near Springfield, Missouri?
Future Men is near Branson, Missouri, an easy drive from Springfield and the Springfield-Branson National Airport.
Can families visit?
Yes. Parents can reach out whenever they need to and are encouraged to visit. Parents have a scheduled call with staff every other week, starting right away. After a three-week settling-in period, every student has a scheduled weekly family call, monitored by staff. Visiting and travel.
How much does Future Men cost?
Tuition at Future Men is $6,300 per month. There is a one-time $2,000 nonrefundable admission charge that is not credited toward tuition. Emergency placement is an option when placement within 24 to 48 hours is a requirement, for an additional $1,500. Acceptance is still determined by our admissions team and bed availability. Families may withdraw at any time without notice. Tuition and fees are not refunded. Tuition details.