Echo Springs Looks Toward The Next Two Decades

Echo Spring Transition Study Center is launching its 21st year. As one of the oldest after-care programs in the nation, students have traveled from around the world to ignite change inside the little, red schoolhouse in the middle of the forest of Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

Echo Springs' founder, Doug Kim-Brown has spent the past 40 years working with young adults, guiding them through struggles, helping them to reach independence. The entire faculty has decade's worth of experience and look toward the future. The following are some of their observations�

What changes have you seen in the students over the years?
"Before they come to us, students now isolate a lot more in technology, they develop a world of their own and they're harder to access. There's a much higher level of anxiety about their place in the world." ~ Doug Kim-Brown, Echo Springs Director/Founder

What changes have you seen in the parents over the years?
"Our parents continue to evolve as their children grow inside Echo Springs. These parents tend to have therapists, go to alanon, or have a really good support team to change the patterns that have not worked with their son/daughter. These parents allow their students to succeed by holding onto their boundaries and forcing their son/daughter to take on the responsibility of their own lives. The moment the parent goes back to saving their 'child', is the moment the student stops taking responsibility for themselves." ~ Shannon Earle� Phase One Manager/Parent Coordinator

What are you looking forward to in the future?
"I look forward to harvesting the sense of the work we do and to expand it to more people. We currently serve ten students at a time in phase one, our students move on to serve the world in all kinds of professions, with their families, as independent individuals. We know by impacting one life, we impact many. I hope that our holistic approach will more directly reach thousands."

I have just an overall sense of gratitude; 20 years with Echo Springs, 40 years in the industry. I feel fortunate to have spent my career guiding people to live a more satisfying life, as I've also been able to live out our philosophies with my own family. "Doug Kim-Brown, Echo Springs Director/Founder

Echo Springs celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2013 and hosted a celebration during the annual November IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association) conference in San Diego, CA. Joining them in celebration was Benchmark Transitions founder, Jayne Selby-Longnecker who had started in the industry "way back when" along with Doug Kim-Brown and was celebrating their own 20th anniversary. Doug Kim-Brown said it made sense to bring the two families together to honor their parallel work. About 150 people, including dozens of our nation's educational consultants and program leaders, ate, drank, and made merry on the yacht, The Spirit of California Flagship, in the San Diego Bay.

"Hope
Smiles from the threshold of the year to come,
Whispering 'it will be happier'�" ~Alfred Tennyson (Poet Laureate, 1800's)

� "smiles from the threshold of the year to come."
Here's to Echo Springs and the next 20 years!