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Our Story
2009-2011 | The Beginning
Jennifer Nilssen began tutoring a youth who was quietly struggling with undiagnosed dyslexia, leading to an official diagnosis and academic support through a 504 plan within the school system. Over three summers, it became clear the need extended far beyond academics. Youth needed strength-based support, advocacy skills, and space to better understand themselves through real-world experiences. What began as tutoring planted the foundation for a deeper, relationship-based approach.
2011-2012 | O-I-See Is Founded
O-I-See Youth Strategies was formally established to meet a growing need for individualized support outside traditional school systems. With a background in school counseling, Jennifer created a safe, confidential, one-to-one environment where youth could be seen, heard, and supported as whole individuals, especially as they navigated the daily challenges of school. After careful research, O-I-See launched as a small for-profit entity—intentionally choosing this structure to keep time and resources focused on direct youth support rather than fundraising and lengthy startup requirements. Jennifer substituted in multiple school districts to maintain personal income, reinvesting every earned dollar from O-I-See services back into program development.
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2012-2013 | Community Partnerships Begin
O-I-See expanded into community-based services and began partnering with county systems, including Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS). Services remained intentionally one-to-one, experiential, and rooted in relationship.
2013–2015 | Organic Growth & Sacrifice
O-I-See grew organically, adding team members and expanding services while staying grounded in a single belief: There is nothing “wrong” with a child, and no child needs to be fixed to belong. Jennifer continued prioritizing staff compensation and youth services—a significant personal and family sacrifice made in service of the mission. During this time, Jennifer purchased a home, transitioning from a small office to a space that could better support the work. The two- car garage became part of the program itself—housing vehicles used to transport youth to and from sessions. Maintaining the home became a shared responsibility, creating opportunities for both staff and youth to contribute and build life skills together.
2016-2019 | Laying the Nonprofit Foundation
With growing awareness of the benefits of nonprofit collaboration and transparency, foundational nonprofit planning began alongside a team member completing a Human Services internship. The long-term vision was clear: one day, the mission would fully transition to a nonprofit model. The birth of the non-profit was created within governmental records: May 4th, 2016.
2020 | | Responding to Community Needs
During the COVID-19 pandemic, O-I-See adapted quickly to continue supporting youth. Telehealth services were introduced prior to shutdowns, ensuring continuity of care while prioritizing safety and accessibility. This season further clarified the importance of flexibility, connection, and meeting youth where they are. Through creativity and teamwork, including repurposing older computers and cell phones, services continued without interruption. There were no layoffs, and the team continued to grow, welcoming an additional mentor in the summer of 2020.
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2021–2023 | Expanding Access
O-I-See established a professional office space in Hudson, transitioning from a home-based setting to increase accessibility while continuing to prioritize confidentiality and one-to-one support. This step also helped lay the groundwork for the long-term goal of fully transitioning to a nonprofit organization.
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2024–2026 | 100% Nonprofit
On January 1, 2024, O-I-See Youth Strategies officially became a 100% nonprofit organization. This transition aligned the organizational structure with the values that had guided the work from the beginning: ethical stewardship, accessibility, and community partnership. Today, O-I- See continues to serve youth through county-contracted and individualized services, including Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) and Comprehensive Community Services (CCS), while honoring each youth’s strengths, lived experience, and potential.
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2026 & Beyond | Expanding Holistic Support
Looking ahead, O-I-See plans to expand community-based offerings to include Resonance Reiki, yoga, and guidance-based services to broaden access to holistic, one-to-one support for youth across the St. Croix Valley. These additions will deepen opportunities for youth to build strength, self-awareness, mindfulness, and regulation.
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The Meaning Behind the Name & Logo
The name O-I-See Youth Strategies was born from teaching, guiding, and listening. In the early days, services began with tutoring, using foundational reading methods Jennifer learned as a child—breaking words into syllables and marking vowels to distinguish long and short sounds. Though uncommon in modern classrooms, these tools became powerful for the youth she worked with, often feeling like a quiet superpower that helped them succeed while honoring their unique ways of thinking. As confidence grew, youth naturally began sharing these tools with peers, discovering that confidence isn’t taught—it emerges through understanding, connection, and success.
A defining moment came while working on the word odyssey, exploring its meaning as a journey within oneself. Chunked phonetically as odd-i-see, it sparked a deeper realization: what often feels “odd” in children—their differences, sensitivities, and challenges—is often where their greatest strengths live. In systems that label and rush, those differences can feel hidden rather than understood. O-I-See was created from the belief that what is different is not broken. The name reflects being truly seen—the child who feels “odd,” the adult who looks beyond labels, and the moment when understanding clicks: Oh, I see.