New Perspectives
KIDSQUEST WAGON TRAIN
New Perspectives
Jun 8, 2005, 11:16

Tucson, Arizona
James H. Powell, Ph.D. Admission/Clinical Director
866-799-9875
Brandi Elliott, Admissions
e-mail Kidsquest
Kidsquest Website

Scouts head out on horseback.

“Brakes Off!” and “Move ém Out!” starts the wagon train lumbering toward its destination camp for the evening. Several hours later, the covered wagons will circle up around the pre-selected camping spot where the students will pitch their teepees for the night.

Thus starts the first wagon train for the private parent-choice industry of struggling students on June 20, 2005. Modeled after the pioneers that settled the west in their covered wagons, the experience is a metaphor in settling students who have been making poor decisions.

An old fashioned wagon, used on the trail by KidQuest.

The self-discipline, teamwork and personal responsibility required for successfully moving a group of students and staff forward for several miles each day will be a prime learning experience for students badly needing to learn these lessons. Each student will be assigned a responsibility that will be vital for the success of the trek, and learning those wagon train skills will be a tool to help them learn the character building skills of self-discipline, responsibility and how important teamwork is to them becoming mature functional adults.

Although students will receive training on how to carry out assigned duties, the specific responsibilities of each student will be based on their individual demonstration of personal responsibility and skill levels. New program participants will be assigned to ride in one of the wagons and provide general assistance; as they gain experience, they may advance to brakeman or handling the reins. An important part of the eventual responsibility will be to take care of mules or horses assigned to them, it being strongly imposed that the students for example, must feed and water the animals before themselves. On any one trek, about half of the students will have earned the increased responsibility of becoming what is called a “scout,” meaning they will be allowed to ride a horse in advance and behind the wagon train, and circulate throughout the train to help with any problems that might develop with any one wagon or the animals pulling it.

Within the process of a wagon train trek, there is a masters’ level group and individual therapy, extensive equine activities, a positive peer culture and experienced adult mentoring. This unique experience for students is modeled after the 30 years experience of VisionQuest, which has pioneered alternative programming for adjudicated youth. James Powell and Brandi Elliott, who have several years experience working with young people in the private parent-choice industry – most recently as administrators with the CEDU system, have been working to adapt the wagon train model to the somewhat different needs for private parent-choice placements.

The plans are to maintain rolling admissions. That is, after the initial small group of students starts the trek on June 20, 2005 new students can join them at any time and if the flow of enrollments continues at a steady pace, the trek can continue indefinitely with the experienced students teaching the culture established by the initial enrollees to the new enrollees.

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