The story of APO starts with one man’s dream of changing the lives of our youth throughout the world. Frank Reed Horton achieved his dream by coming together with other men from varying backgrounds bettering the world.

 

APO was inspired by Frank Reed Horton after serving in World War I, and later founded by men from varying backgrounds to better the world together. They set the foundation for the growth and success of one of the nation’s largest premier service-based organizations on college campuses today.

 

Their purpose was to assemble college students within a national service organization in the fellowship of principles derived from the Scout Oath and the Law of the Boy Scouts, setting high standards for all members to follow.

 

Today, APO is a national, co-educational service organization – college students gathered together in an organization based on fellowship and founded on the principles of the Boy Scouts of America. Its purpose is to develop leadership, promote friendship, and provide service to humanity. More than 500,000 students on 375 college campuses have chosen APO.

 

APO is forever grateful to those founding brothers who laid the foundation for the Cardinal Principles and who in turn established a means for creating more student leaders through service.