Expand. Grow. Build.

In a world where so many young people feel disconnected, underprepared, and uncertain about their future, Ignite Academy is lighting the way forward.

Formerly known as the Defiance Dream Center, our organization began in 2017 with a bold mission: to restore hope and help individuals uncover their purpose. Over the years, we’ve taught everything from changing a tire to preparing for job interviews—not just to build skills, but to build confidence, character, and connection.

Now, we’re growing our vision—and our impact.

Reimagined as Ignite Academy, this dynamic initiative combines the transformative principles of Wildfire Leadership—uncovering purpose and unleashing potential—with a proven model for individual and community growth. Using Wildfire’s powerful tools, Mission Portrait and 7 Igniters, Ignite Academy integrates workforce development, career readiness, coaching, mentoring, goal setting, and action planning to meet students where they are and guide them toward meaningful, sustainable success.

Whether delivered through classroom instruction, after-school programming, mobile outreach, or partnerships with schools, courts, and employers, Ignite Academy equips students with the tools they need to take their next right step.

Through partnerships with Defiance City Schools, Northwest State Community College, and Keller Trucking, students are earning credentials in construction, electrical, healthcare, finance, and more. They’re not just learning how to work—they’re learning how to lead, how to belong, and how to build lives filled with purpose.

As one student shared:

“I learned skills I need every day, but what I loved most was gaining a family.”

That’s what we’re building—one student at a time. A scalable model for schools, courts, and communities that’s rooted in relationships, ready for growth, and built to last.

We invite you to be part of the movement. Together, we can expand vision, grow purpose, and build hope in the next generation.