History
Founded in 1991 by Stephanie and Jonathan Warburg, the Max Warburg Courage Curriculum is named after their son, Max Warburg, a courageous 11-year-old young man who lost his battle with leukemia that same year. Max’s steadfast determination and heartfelt hope in the face of a deadly disease inspired all who knew him. To honor Max’s story and encourage other youths to reach their maximum potential, Stephanie and Jonathan worked with the Boston Public Schools and educators around the country to develop and create the courage curricula.
MAXCourage has grown exponentially since its inception. Many Boston Public middle schools, as well as many charter, private, pilot, and parochial schools in the surrounding communities, along with schools in states nationwide use the sixth grade curriculum. The MAXCourage Writers' Workshop Series serves children in afterschool programs and summer camps. From 2021-2023 our domestic program grew 100% while our global presence continues in countries all over the world.
Max’s Story
By Stephanie Warburg and Charlotte Harris
Max Warburg was born and brought up in Boston, Massachusetts. Not long ago, Max lived in an apartment near the center of the city with his parents and his brother, Fred. Max was two and a half years older than Fred. Max had wavy light brown hair and bright brown eyes, and Fred had straight black hair and hazel eyes, but when they smiled, they looked a lot alike even though Max was much bigger.
The boys liked sports. They liked to swim in the summer, ski in the winter, and sail whenever they got a chance. Mostly, their father, who was an architect, had to work, but as often as he could he took the boys sailing, teaching them to tie lines, trim sails, and steer a course.
“Here,” he would say, “Max, you take the wheel. Fred, you hold this line tight and Max will sail us out of the harbor.”
And Max would. He’d stand at the helm the way he thought his father stood. Eyes on the sail to be sure it didn’t spill its wind, both hands on the big wheel, and feet spread apart, wind blowing his hair and puffing out his jacket, Max would play the part of the captain, dreaming of the day he would have his own boat. He knew exactly what he wanted. A sixteen-foot, drop-centerboard boat called a 420, just the right size for a twelve-year-old, which he figured he would be before he would ever get his 420. Then he could take Fred on some great sails, even on the days his dad was too busy. Better yet, then he could race and maybe win.
He knew what he’d call his boat, too. Take It To The Max, he’d call it, not just because it had his name in it, but because it sounded like the sky was the limit and that’s how Max felt.