Steve Van Bockern

Steve Van Bockern is a professor emeritus of education at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he taught for over 35 years. He has been a teacher and principal, and developed experiential alternative education programs for gifted students and those with emotional and behavioral problems. He helped establish the annual Black Hills Seminars and formerly directed Reclaiming Youth International. His work focuses on strength-based approaches to youth development, particularly through the Circle of Courage model, which he co-developed with Larry Brendtro and Martin Brokenleg. He has presented worldwide and is a recipient of an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Winnipeg. He also works as an expert witness in juvenile justice.