By Nancy Masland

We visited Eagle Summit on a dank Midwest morning traveling over scenic rural roads 70 miles northwest of St. Louis, MO. We were greeted by 165 acres of beautiful countryside, fully refurbished buildings and two black labs.

A ranch type home with a tornado shelter, tool shed and Native American ceremonial site in the woods housed the boys (aged 13-18) - capacity is now 14 with plans to grow to 24 in an un-alarmed spacious dormitory (2 beds to a room with a bath).

Our student guide seemed well adjusted to his new environment and quite invested in the program. Given his history as told by staff, and personally, it would seem that good progress is being made in areas of personal relationships, responsibility and communications. Our guide was given time out of his academic day to share his experiences with us. His emotional stability is quite improved since his arrival and interaction with staff is excellent.

The Staff (ratio 7:1) is led by dynamic Angie Fusco, formerly a Program Administrator and long term employee at Three Springs, Clinical Director Anita Kiessling, an LCSW, Academic Director Betty Crenshaw and LPC Penny Valvero. The impression is of a therapeutic boarding school with unrealized potential.

The average length of stay is 7-9 mos. With strengths in experiential learning: mountain bike trails, wildlife refuge, ropes (coming soon), rafting, canoeing, and long hikes. Backpacking trips to the Smoky Mountains and a canoe trip down the Current River were planned for this summer. Skills are taught to develop mindfulness and emotional regulation.

Eagle Summit's parent company has many facilities throughout Missouri, licensed by the MO Children's Division and COA, who support the Native American mind-body-spirit emphasis of this private pay program. The Circle of Courage is the model for the positive peer culture, with both DBT and CBT modalities of therapy.

Exclusions include sexual perpetrators, fire setters, psychotic, or conduct disordered boys. The typical profile is ODD, ADHD, PTSD, bi-polar, depression, anxiety and borderline. An attending psychiatrist comes to campus to treat the boys.

School, currently online through National High School, will be supplanted by a private High School (accredited by SACS, with Trig, AP, foreign language and Arts and Music). A local Technical Center is close by for students not planning on college. A Fitness center and Computer lab are available, as well as a large on-campus garden. Discipline is a 4 level system.

Family involvement is paramount with monthly seminars and visitation. Family members are hosted in rooms on campus. There are weekly individual and family therapies.

I recommend this program for the average IQ boy who could benefit from the outdoors and a caring staff.

About the Author: Nancy P. Masland is a member of the IECA and is a certified educational planner. She can be contacted by mail at Nancy P Masland & Associates, P.O. Box 30248, Tucson, AZ 85751, or by phone at (520) 749-4220.