About Us

Inspire's programs and events focus on three foundational principles:

Value – Each student is created uniquely and possesses individual talents and abilities that makes them significant.

Purpose – Life is more than just existing and every student has a reason to be here and something valuable to contribute to their community.

Strength – To be successful in academics and life, students must develop mental strength in areas such as respect, communication, emotional well-being and resilience.

About the Director

Tara Bollinger is the Founding Executive Director of Inspire School Programs. She developed a passion for empowering youth while competing in pageants in college. As Miss Missouri USA, she traveled as a full-time youth motivational speaker, impacting over 100,000 young people in one year.

From her experience in working with schools, Tara knew that weekly programs were needed to help young people discover value, find purpose, and build strength. She moved to Australia and piloted a program that served as a foundation for the organization. Upon her return to her hometown St. Louis, Tara began training facilitators, writing curriculum, meeting with schools, and with no funding started Inspire School Programs.

In the Fall of 2012, on crazy faith with less than a week’s notice, she moved to Dallas to pilot an Inspire/local church partnership. Since then, Inspire programs mentored over 25,000 schools in six school districts as well as put on events for more than 30,000 students. She now trains other organizations to do Inspire in their states and advocates for church/community partnerships with local schools. She resides in the Southwest Dallas area where she also fulfills the role of mom to two very active teenagers, who served as consultants on the curriculum and active participants in the mentoring program.