SUMMERTIME

It's not officially summer yet but it is getting warmer, we are planning for June graduation and start reminding students to keep their shirts on unless they are on a ...

KAYAK TRIP

From May 10th to May 14th Phase One staff Dave Stuben, Wendy Frank (both certified Wilderness First Responders), Danyella McAllister and Jeff Bounds took a group of  14 Phase One students to a sea kayaking trip to Sucia Island in San Juan Archipelago. Older students support were Dylan J. and Kayla D.  The trip was managed by the specialists from Anacortes Kayak Tours ( www.anacorteskayaktours.com)    

             

WOMEN TAKING OVER 

When the men go play, the women take over.

 May 25, 2004 was men's day at Mount Bachelor Academy.   The male staff of the school had a day to shine in the sun at nearly Kahneeta Warm Springs Resort, while the women staff shine as they run the activities of the day at Mount Bachelor Academy.   In the morning, there were activities like knitting and crocheting, study halls, and outdoor games, while in the afternoon the students had communication skills groups as well as some more light hearted activities.   It was a well-deserved break for the men to be together and recharge their batteries.   Women will have their day next month.

     

WELCOME BACK

LA MANCHA Lifestep returned safely from Romania and Poland. The peer group was led by staff Steve Turner, Lynn Vigil and Julie Stuben .

   "Yesterday we were standing at Auschwitz. Walking around in the sun made it hard to comprehend the level of pain and suffering that happened there not so long ago.The treatment of people by others not so very different goes to show the tolerance for evil in the human spirit.   It drives me to further understand myself. To the best of my ability; I must know where I stand and never get carried away to a point that hurts others, even on a much smaller scale. The ground we walked on was the very place that so many tears were shed, blood and sweat, many lives were ended.   Being in a place where so many souls were released, it frightens me. It took me on a thought train of death.   What were these peoples' last thoughts before dying?   Were they scared, at peace, relieved; transitioned to a higher and better place?   Did they have love? Where was God? " Ashton M. ,18

 

   

MINNESOTA. Alex Bitz, Sharon Bitz, and Ellen McNutt (Regional Liaison for AEG) visited Minnesota   the first week in June.   Contrary to the weather reports, Minnesota put on her wildflowers and spring beauty for us.    Tuesday through Friday we spent meeting with schools and mental health professionals to help educate them on residential therapeutic services as options for the families they work with.   Then, Friday evening, we enjoyed a MBA parent support group hosted by the Hemker's.   It was an excellent opportunity to meet informally and enjoy a meal, conversation, and answer questions about students and their growth during and after MBA.

 

We went to the mid-west at the request of many Mount Bachelor Academy families who had struggled to learn about therapeutic schools prior to finding MBA. We wanted to help professionals learn about residential options other than military school and boot camps (program types they are typically familiar with).

 

Overall, it was time well spent, we made excellent new contacts in Minneapolis and   enjoyed time with MBA families.

 

 

MORE SIGNS OF SUMMER

After few rainy days the summer must be here because…

  • Received several high school and college graduation announcements from alumni students. Congratulations Laura, Jairus, Eric and Erin.
  • The war in Irak is still going on and we pray for the safety of two alumni, now soldiers, Mike S. and Wan R.
  • End of May a rafting trip went out.
  • Father –son weekend fishing trip was great. Many thanks to Jeff Bounds and Jason Jackson.
  • Third week in June   was the final week of classes for the semester.
  • June 17,18   Parent Conference .
  • June   19 Peer group 30 and 31 Graduation from the Emotional Growth Curriculum.
  • June 21 ACW starts. ( Alternative Curriculum Weeks). For those on campus, two weeks of fun and interesting events:
    • Mountain Classroom in N. California mountains
    • Day fishing trip to Walton Lake
    • Girls day at Kahneeta resort
    • Water skiing at the Prineville reservoir
    • White rafting trip with Charyn and Mike
    • Movie trip
    • Mount Bachelor skiing trip
    • Cooking   with Cate Devlin

 

GETTING READY FOR JULY LA MANCHA

(here is an example of the preparation for the workshop)

La Mancha Notes

PG 32 & 33 · July 4-16, 2004 · Romania & Poland

 

“Peaceful Warriors”

Academic Update #5

Few days and counting …

 This past weekend was amazing for gaining an historical perspective.   President George Bush was in France to celebrate the 60 th Anniversary of D-Day, the day 150,000 allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy and began the long journey toward Berlin, the defeat of Germany, and the end of World War II.   As allied troops fought Hitler from the West, Russian troops battled him from the East.   Germany ended up divided East and West.   WWII ended, but a Cold War began soon after.  

The allies of The United States, Great Britain, France, and others became part of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Association, whose mission was to defend member countries from Soviet aggression.   In the East, a Warsaw Pact was created of nations under Soviet control.   Romania and Poland were part of that Warsaw Pact.   What became known as the Iron Curtain was set up between East and West.  President Ronald Reagan, the 40 th President of the United States, died this weekend at the age of 93.   Twenty years ago he was in Normandy celebrating the 40 th anniversary of D-Day.   It is interesting to hear his speeches from that event in 1984.   He spoke in tribute of the men who participated in D-Day and applauded them for their heroic success in defeating Germany.   But he also spoke, alarmingly, of the danger of The Soviet Union.  

Twenty years later, there is no Soviet Union.   There is no East and West Germany.   And we are traveling to two countries that are no longer behind an Iron Curtain.   In 1989, both of these countries experienced dramatic political change.   Today you are doing what students of my generation probably could not have done.When you are at MBA, the world is very small.   One of the things I love about La Mancha is suddenly the world becomes very large.   Some of us can be a bit dramatic in our small, MBA world.   What happens when we travel to these countries?   We will either be small and dramatic people, or the world will open up to us and we can better understand our place in the world.   The idea of a Peaceful Warrior is a beautiful way to understand how we should approach the world.

 

 New Assignments:•  Read the paragraphs above and write two-three paragraphs to follow.   In other words, end the essay in your own way.   (Minimum of 125 words)   Bring this to group on Thursday.

•  If you haven't already, finish reading Night and complete the Book Review form.   Due before the end of the quarter.

•  Go to the newspapers one more time.   This time find two articles that discuss the involvement of the United States in the affairs of countries around the world or, better yet, where we are actually physically present in those countries.   Photocopy those two articles.   (Only one of your articles should be about the Middle-East.)   Read the article and be prepared to discuss where and how the Unites States is involved in countries around the world.

Announcements:

•  Alex Bitz, Dave Johnson and myself we will meet with all of you during group this Thursday to discuss the theme and some of the academic components of the trip.   The assignments you've done and the ones assigned today will help you be ready for this group.

•  Bring your notebook and all of your assignments to this group/class.

 

Some thoughts on your major project:   Many of you are done.   Good job!   Thank you for being so responsible.   If you haven't finished, please get to work.   Ask for help if you need it.   Some of your reports are tough, because they are so fact-based.   Don't forget that in addition to “Know what!” we're looking for “So what!” and “Now what!”   One way to bring meaning to your report is to turn it into a story.  

Glenn Austin

 

WE ARE BACK - The weather in Romania and Krakow was mild and not the usual hot and humid. The academic work and student's presentations were great. The group had several chalenges during the trip and some of them are being handled now , after the return. We hope that the lessons will make an impact on some of the student's future decisions..Click the link below to see several hundreds of pictures from our experience in Europe.

Thanks for all the support from parents, grandparents, staff who covered the schedule while we were gone, our friends in Romania and Poland.

 

 

               

                                           
Click here to see more pictures from SUMMER 2004 pages

Click here to read more about WINTER and SPRING 2004

REMINDER: to read about 2003 events click here