RIDGE CREEK GRADUATES THREE CLASSES
(June 19, 2001) J.J. Williams, Admissions Director of Ridge Creek, Dahlonega, GA, 706-867-1720, announced they have successfully graduated 3 classes since their June 4 start-up. New classes will start on July 9, July 23, August 6 and August 20. Ridge Creek was started by Hidden Lake Academy as a stand alone wilderness program.

A & E TV STRUGGLES WITH ACCURACY AND SENSATIONALISM
(June 20, 2001) Bill Kurkis, Executive Producer of A & E TV’s recently aired “Investigative Reports” segment about wilderness programs for at-risk youth, seemed to have had a hard time maintaining a grasp on accuracy while lurching for ratings by sensationalizing the well publicized tragedies. Any attempt at a balanced portrayal of the students’ progress through RedCliff Ascent in Utah was undermined with questioning tones of voice and terms like “Abducted,” “Forced,” and “Dangerous.” Kurkis did not communicate that the three Utah tragedies upon which the segment focused occurred in programs that were philosophically “Boot Camps,” which although staged in the wilderness, were not representative of the wilderness therapy approach. The first segment described a death in the now defunct Wilderness Challenger program, who had advertised themselves as a “boot camp for troubled teens.” The segment showing “Horsehair’s” verbal onslaughts on a young man seemed to be an old clip from the Challenger program and reflected a drill sergeant approach rather than the way in which a wilderness counselor works with young people. The second death described occurred in the Vision Summit program, a spin off program with ex-Challenger staff who had never ran a program before, nor had the program any track record on which it could be evaluated by prospective parents. The third program and death, was in Northstar Expeditions, which was owned and operated by Horsehair and other field staff from Challenger. Kurkis ignored the fact that these programs were criticized and avoided all along by legitimate wilderness therapy professionals. Likewise he ignored the industry’s efforts to prevent new harsh boot camp approaches that were implicated in the three deaths, from being used in other programs. Kurkis also created an inaccurate impression regarding the State of West Virginia’s closure action against Alldredge Academy, since he neglected to also report the stay on that action the next working day by a Judge. Overall all, Kurkis might deserve a C- on professionalism, if a person wants to be generous. This explains to me why, when I want accuracy and fairness, I don’t go to A & E.

TREX NOW OFFERS ROLLING ENROLLMENT AND EXTENDED STAY
(June 20, 2001) Gabriel Rivera, Executive Director of Trex, located in Bend, Oregon, 541-385-0323, contacted Woodbury Reports about its evolving menu of services. Their Wilderness Program is a minimum of 21 days, and “applicants can enroll at anytime and stay as long as needed.” They also offer a residential option for extended intervention and support.

PAUL TAYLOR IS NEW DIRECTOR OF COPPER CANYON
(June 20, 2001) Tammy Behrmann, President of Copper Canyon, Rimrock, Arizona, 520-567-1322, announced that Paul Taylor will become Copper Canyon’s Director. Tammy intends to remain actively involved in the program, but looks forward to Paul’s leadership to allow her additioal time with her family, since she has recently remarried. Darren Prince, Susan Coatney or Tammy Behrmann will continue to be the contacts for questions regarding admissions.

SINGLE GENDER AT SUWS
(June 20, 2001) Jim Glaeser, Director, and Reid Treadaway, Admissions Director for SUWS of the Carolinas, 888-828-9770, announced the wilderness program is now running all female student groups, all male student groups, and co-ed student groups, which allows increased flexibility to put new enrollees in the best situation for them possible.

PATTI DOYLE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CEDU’S ADULT EDUCATION
(June 25, 2001) Dan Krabacher, President & CEO of CEDU Family of Services (208)267-0607, Sandpoint, Idaho announced that Patti Doyle will become the Executive Director of Adult Education at CEDU. Formerly the Executive Director of California’s CEDU Middle School and CEDU HS, Patti Doyle’s transition into her new position is targeted for August 1. This “significant move for CEDU” is an effort to provide a “parallel education process for the parents” to help “support their child’s education and hopefully gain some knowledge that is useful to them as well.”

NATWC PUBLISHES JOURNAL OF OUTDOOR THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMING
(June 28, 2001) Volume 1, No. 1 of “Pathways,” the Journal of Outdoor Therapeutic Programming, Spring/Summer 2001 was recently published by The National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camps (NATWC). This first issue resulted from the January, 2001 board meeting in Atlanta, where members became convinced it was time to part ways with the International Journal of Wilderness. The NATWC Journal includes research relating to wilderness programming, and communicates about the upcoming conference in the fall, September 16-19, at the Unicoi State Park in Helen, GA.

WILBRAHAM MONSON ACADEMY GRADUATES 78 CO-EDS
(June 25) Brinley Hall, of Wilbraham Monson Academy, a boarding school in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, 413-596-6811, informed the Woodbury Reports office that 78 young men and women successfully finished their studies. Christopher C. Moore, Admission director at Lake Forest Academy in Illinois, will be taking over as director at Wilbraham. Also, their Gill Memorial Library was remodeled into The Writing Center and the Alumni Memorial Chapel was renovated for recitals and small dramatic productions. Currently they are seeking coeds for grades 9 through 11, with a few openings for post-graduates, and “2 or 3 spots for youngsters with mild to moderate learning problems.”

KING GEORGE SCHOOL GRADUATES 17
(July 2, 2001) Heather Roeder, Admissions Director for King George School in Vermont, 800-218-5122, announced 17 students graduated at the school. The graduating seniors were accepted by numerous respected post-secondary institutions, and more then $145,000 was given in the form of academic merit scholarships. King George School is an innovative coeducational boarding school for bright and creative students with a strong visual and performing arts curriculum and emotional growth curriculum.

JOANNE SZADKOWSKI NEW DIRECTOR OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN ACADEMY
(July 3, 2001) Dan Krabacher, President & CEO of CEDU Family of Services (208)267-0607, Sandpoint, Idaho announced the appointments of two key leadership positions at CEDU Family of Services. Joanne Szadkowski has been appointed Director of Rocky Mountain Academy and Pamela Broker, interim director of Rocky Mountain Academy, has been appointed to Director of Family Services.

NEW HORIZONS UP AND RUNNING
(July 3, 2001) Audrey Peavey, Admissions Director for New Horizons Wilderness Program, Maine, 207-992-2424, a wilderness program for girls, announced their first group is out in the field. Groups 2 and 3 are due to go out in the next two weeks, and they still have openings.

PAULA FELDMAN ADDRESS CHANGE
(June, 2001) Paula G. Feldman, M.S., C.E.P. 949-759-0330, Fax: 949-760-0880, announced an address change. Her new address is: 4618 Dorchester Road, Corona del Mar, CA 92625.

DAVE HAMPTON APPOINTED AS CEDU’S NW REGION ACADEMIC DIRECTOR
(July 6, 2001) Julia Andrick, Marketing Communications Manager for The Brown Schools/CEDU Family of Services, Sandpoint, ID, 208-265-0607 x 130, announced Dave Hampton’s new appointment to the position of Northwest Region Academic Director. Dave will be assuming his new role starting July 9, at which time he will fly to California for his first week of training and orientation.