Pierceton Woods Academy Set To Open This Week
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Tim [email protected]
Lifeline Youth and Family Services CEO Mark Terrell said students will begin studying at the education building Thursday, and students will move into the residence halls Friday.[[In-content Ad]]Lifeline is an organization aimed at helping area families and youth in crisis. The new 60-acre campus at 27 Pequignot Drive, Pierceton, includes secured residential facilities, an alternative school, recreation facilities and offices for counseling. Terrell said the new facilities are a last resort for Lifeline's programs.
"Lifeline is all about families," he said. "The more we keep families together, the more we can keep kids out of the prison system. Our goal is that families would never need our residential campus, that's why we focus so heavily on our home-based services."
Terrell said, for some at-risk youth, staying home is not an option either due to poor choices the youth has made or environmental factors in the home. He said the new campus is designed to provide an environment for students to gradually learn to live in society on their own or with their families. After a student finishes the programs at PWA, Lifeline continues home-based services to ensure the student is able to maintain his progress after returning home.
"Lifeline wants to be the best in the world at creating lasting change," said Terrell. "These kids need a chance and that's what we do."
Terrell said, when designing the new $6.5 million campus, Lifeline took into account the special needs of the students. For example, Terrell said, most of Lifeline's students are behind in school. PWA's education building is designed to facilitate non-traditional teaching methods which will help students catch up. Terrell said the new facility will provide the opportunity for teachers to focus more on each student's situation and learning style while providing an element of privacy for students.
"If you're 16 and reading at a third-grade level and you're sitting next to a kid who's 16 and reading 'War and Peace,' that's embarrassing," said Terrell.
The building also is designed to minimize distractions. Terrell said even the lighting in the building is designed to facilitate concentration and focus.
Students at Pierceton Woods Academy will be boys ages 8-18 from all over Indiana. Students are referred to Lifeline through the Department of Families and Children, the Department of Corrections and area probation offices. Some students, Terrell said, are private referrals from parents or guardians.
One of the new campus's residence halls includes a detention area, which includes all the security details of a typical county jail.
"Youth are coming to us with an increasing severity or need and our (current) facilities weren't built to accommodate that," said Terrell.
He said, in the past, Lifeline has had to turn away youth with needs beyond their capability of their buildings.
Currently, local sheriff's departments must transport minors who are in trouble with the law to juvenile facilities in South Bend, Fort Wayne or Marion. Lifeline's detention center will provide a local option. Terrell said a typical stay for youth brought to the detention center ranges between two and seven days.
Terrell said most of Lifeline's residential students will live in the residence halls, which resemble a college dormitory and have the capacity to house up to 60 students. Terrell said, when a student arrives at PWA, his room will be sparse, containing only a bed and table for homework. As a student works his way through Lifeline's program, he has the opportunity to buy new things for his room like a carpet, radio, posters and beanbag chair. Terrell said the student will take these items with him when he leaves PWA.
Terrell said Lifeline will close three of its current residential facilities in Whitley and Kosciusko counties when students move into the new campus.
Terrell said he has been happy with the Pierceton community's welcome of PWA.
"We have been blown away by the reception we've had from the community of Pierceton," he said.
Terrell said, initially, there were some questions and concerns from some in the community, mostly focused on security issues. Terrell said he feels the questions are natural.
"When we don't know about something, we often assume the worst," he said. "If somebody has an issue or concern, let us know."
Terrell said Lifeline aims to be involved the local community life. He said, to begin connections with the community, Lifeline students and staff helped pick up trash after the Pierceton Days Festival and Lifeline held a community open house Monday for the public to tour the new facilities.
"We want to be good neighbors," he said.
Lifeline Youth and Family Services CEO Mark Terrell said students will begin studying at the education building Thursday, and students will move into the residence halls Friday.[[In-content Ad]]Lifeline is an organization aimed at helping area families and youth in crisis. The new 60-acre campus at 27 Pequignot Drive, Pierceton, includes secured residential facilities, an alternative school, recreation facilities and offices for counseling. Terrell said the new facilities are a last resort for Lifeline's programs.
"Lifeline is all about families," he said. "The more we keep families together, the more we can keep kids out of the prison system. Our goal is that families would never need our residential campus, that's why we focus so heavily on our home-based services."
Terrell said, for some at-risk youth, staying home is not an option either due to poor choices the youth has made or environmental factors in the home. He said the new campus is designed to provide an environment for students to gradually learn to live in society on their own or with their families. After a student finishes the programs at PWA, Lifeline continues home-based services to ensure the student is able to maintain his progress after returning home.
"Lifeline wants to be the best in the world at creating lasting change," said Terrell. "These kids need a chance and that's what we do."
Terrell said, when designing the new $6.5 million campus, Lifeline took into account the special needs of the students. For example, Terrell said, most of Lifeline's students are behind in school. PWA's education building is designed to facilitate non-traditional teaching methods which will help students catch up. Terrell said the new facility will provide the opportunity for teachers to focus more on each student's situation and learning style while providing an element of privacy for students.
"If you're 16 and reading at a third-grade level and you're sitting next to a kid who's 16 and reading 'War and Peace,' that's embarrassing," said Terrell.
The building also is designed to minimize distractions. Terrell said even the lighting in the building is designed to facilitate concentration and focus.
Students at Pierceton Woods Academy will be boys ages 8-18 from all over Indiana. Students are referred to Lifeline through the Department of Families and Children, the Department of Corrections and area probation offices. Some students, Terrell said, are private referrals from parents or guardians.
One of the new campus's residence halls includes a detention area, which includes all the security details of a typical county jail.
"Youth are coming to us with an increasing severity or need and our (current) facilities weren't built to accommodate that," said Terrell.
He said, in the past, Lifeline has had to turn away youth with needs beyond their capability of their buildings.
Currently, local sheriff's departments must transport minors who are in trouble with the law to juvenile facilities in South Bend, Fort Wayne or Marion. Lifeline's detention center will provide a local option. Terrell said a typical stay for youth brought to the detention center ranges between two and seven days.
Terrell said most of Lifeline's residential students will live in the residence halls, which resemble a college dormitory and have the capacity to house up to 60 students. Terrell said, when a student arrives at PWA, his room will be sparse, containing only a bed and table for homework. As a student works his way through Lifeline's program, he has the opportunity to buy new things for his room like a carpet, radio, posters and beanbag chair. Terrell said the student will take these items with him when he leaves PWA.
Terrell said Lifeline will close three of its current residential facilities in Whitley and Kosciusko counties when students move into the new campus.
Terrell said he has been happy with the Pierceton community's welcome of PWA.
"We have been blown away by the reception we've had from the community of Pierceton," he said.
Terrell said, initially, there were some questions and concerns from some in the community, mostly focused on security issues. Terrell said he feels the questions are natural.
"When we don't know about something, we often assume the worst," he said. "If somebody has an issue or concern, let us know."
Terrell said Lifeline aims to be involved the local community life. He said, to begin connections with the community, Lifeline students and staff helped pick up trash after the Pierceton Days Festival and Lifeline held a community open house Monday for the public to tour the new facilities.
"We want to be good neighbors," he said.
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