Elk Mountain Academy
Heron, MT

Elk Mountain Academy has just celebrated its 16th year in operation on January 12. In honor of this "sweet sixteen" we are embarking on a fundraising drive. Since our founding in 1994, Elk Mountain Academy has been a not for profit 501 c 3 corporation.

We are in the process of raising funds to:

1. Finish the on campus snowboard park.


2. Add to the indoor skating ramps.


3. Finish the sweat lodge.


4. Get all three EMA dirt bikes the maintenance they need to be ready for use in the Spring

We have had many changes over the years. When Loretta (brave soul that she is!) decided to help build this dream, we started at our home in Northern Idaho. In 1995 we built Summit House. This allowed us to go from 4 students to 12. It also allowed us to take a day off now and then.

In 1996 we built Achievement House. This allowed us to go to 25 students and become an accredited school. We were able to hire more teachers. This seemed to be the perfect amount of students. Eventually we grew to 41 students. (This was my fault. I think it best with my limited management skills to stay at 25). This is the sweet spot for us.

In 1999 we started Lakeshore Aftercare, when one of our students was ready to graduate the program. He did not want (or need) the structure of EMA but thought he would use drugs again if he went home. Loretta thought this student moving in with us in Hope, ID would help. We agreed to take the "student in need" home…just this one young man. I had built an apartment on the lake "just in case" about 6 months before. It worked well for him. He loved it! At meetings and in class he would talk to the other guys. We went from that one young man to six in a very short period of time. The students then built a new house in Hope that had 8 bedrooms and 4 full baths. We wanted Lakeshore Aftercare to have its own home.

What's happening now?

We moved Elk Mountain Academy to a new campus in Montana 3 years ago. It has 14 bedrooms and 19 bathrooms. It has 4/5's of a mile of Elk Creek running through it allowing students to fly fish in the front yard. We also built a dirt bike track on the property. It was designed and built the way I would have if I could have back in 1994. Last summer we sold our lake house and the property in Hope. We are back in Summit house with a new plan!

The new plan:

I am very interested in treating young adults. Over the years I have seen many young men return to using drugs and alcohol and demonstrate to themselves it still doesn't work. I think there are advantages in working with young men that CHOOSE to be in treatment. We have had over 100 young men go through our aftercare program over the years successfully and I think we have a unique service to offer them.

Loretta and I are now living in Summit House on campus. It has ten bedrooms and four full baths. We designed and built it with students, for students, as well as my family. (My own kids are now 17 and 15).

Three months ago we moved an EMA student into Honor House on the Idaho Campus. Tomorrow a second EMA student will arrive. Wednesday a third student that was here 5 years ago when he was 16 is coming back. The plan is to have them help build a new home for my family at the top of the mountain, up above where the Base Camp is we built in 2001. It will be a much smaller home for my family and we believe it will take us a year to build. When we are finished, the young adults will move to Summit House.

The most exciting part of this new project for me is that it will be done in much the same manner as we did in 1994. The students will learn new skills, make their own money, and experience fun being clean and sober and I am very excited to work closely with them on this project.

Dave Bellville, a dear friend who has worked with us for over 10 years has his own lumber mill and we will be able to mill our own timber. My "vision" is to build an 8x10 squared log home. We will fall, skid, mill, and build our own home.

I have promised my dear wife this will be the last time we will move!

I'm asking our dear friend Lon (whom along with Linda Shaffer were the first consultants to visit us in 1994) to publish this to make sure I keep my word.

In America we have the possibility to make our dreams come true. I want to thank all the folks that have made this possible. This is especially true to the 487 families that have honored us with trusting their sons to us. I am humbled by this. Those that know me know humility is not my strong suit. I continue to strive for it though.

Thanks to all.

God Bless.

Carl