HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

There are many nonprofits and government agencies who try to solve problems once the child has fallen off the path and ends up a statistic. Also, in schools, parents who care sometimes can’t figure out what their child needs. I have recently come across Evangel House, which is therapeutic Girls Christian Boarding Academy. It is targeted at teenage girls who might be trapped by substance abuse, reeling from unrest at home or even physical abuse, and also girls who just are suffering from a “failure to thrive.”

Some schools are “anything goes.” Either the teachers are afraid to discipline the students by taking away privileges for fear of retribution, or some simple do not have control. I remember one class in the school I was moved on where the prior teacher left due to a nervous breakdown. In March, basic math was still on simple addition and subtraction as no one could concentrate due to the threats of knifings girls shouted across the classroom. The boys were not that much more stellar. As a contrast, Evangel house increases or decreases a student’s priveleges such as phone use, free time, and other priveleges. For example, girls who exhibit disruptive and dangerous behaviors are not lost, they are accompanied by staff whenever they go outside, etc.

In regular school, sending someone to the principal’s office or taking away their hall pass might be what you think is similar, but there the staff recognizes rescue responses. At regular school, kids can pester the monitor until they let them go back to class. Or, they can just count on the fact that mom or dad will raise Cain with the teachers, or when they get home, they can manipulate them. These are all poor me “rescue responses” that are recognized and girls are taught a better life skill before they lead a future life as a manipulator, or worse. As a girl improves, she is given more and more privileges.

This may sound a lot like playing “Mother, May I?,” but it is reinforced with excellence in academics, the opportunity to grow spiritually, and mentally.

From what I am describing, you may think that this is either a nonprofit or costs a lot of money. There is tuition assistance, such as student loans. You may not think paying for high school is the way to go. However, compared to the cost of ongoing psychological help, tutors, and the like, you are probably ahead.

In Detroit, the school district is in arms over charter schools. While attendence and test scores public at public schools, charter schools are growing and children are thriving. Some credit the actual education, but many others credit the lower staff to student ratio, were the teachers and kids can get to know eachother. Teachers are able to notice when a child is struggling or they are heading towards a destructive life choice. I, for one, was put into a school like that and I thrived rather than dropped out.

I was very intrigued by the idea of this school. It seems like girls can really turn around, which is important to all of us in society, no matter if we physically have children or not.

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