Manuia Plantation Company Limited
Apia, Samoa

Manuia Plantation Opens In Samoa

Manuia Plantation is a therapeutic, high impact, indigenous intervention for adolescent boys, 13-18 yrs old. The program is located in the South Pacific island nation of Samoa. Approximate length of program is 5 months to complete.

Students receive individual, group and family therapy, as well as substance abuse counseling.

Manuia Plantation has a small census capacity with a 25 student maximum. In addition, Manuia Plantation's program has a true 1:4 Staff to Student Ratio consistent with the owner's desire to have a more intimate, family atmosphere, in contrast with the 'institutionalized' model so prevalent in the industry.

Manuia Plantation incorporates fully the Samoan Wilderness and Culture.

Staff receive 'Residential Child and Youth Care Professional' training as developed by The University of Oklahoma National Resource Center for Youth Services; and Behavior Management training via the Non-Violent Crisis Intervention curriculum or NCI.

Manuia Plantation aspires to the "Principles of Good Practice" as outlined by the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs.

Why Samoa?
For over 12 years now, Educational Consultants, Parents and Troubled Teens have greatly benefited by the powerfully therapeutic environment of Samoa's peaceful, tropical island and its family values based indigenous culture. The simplicity of life, the lack of material wealth, richness of the natural environment, and warmth of the 'aiga' (family), the overwhelming desire of every Samoan to be a part of a bigger family like the 'nuu' (village), where people find their worth in not what one can achieve alone, but what one can contribute to their 'aiga' or to their 'nuu.' Manuia Plantation's owner would have considerable difficulty duplicating an environment as effective as this elsewhere…an environment and culture that reinforces service, honor, humility, respect for their elders and ALOFA! (love). That is why Samoa.

Manuia Plantation Core Values
Character/Integrity, Personal Responsibility, Respect, Gratitude, Humility, Love and Honor
"It is never too late to be what you might have been." - G. Eliot

Manuia Plantation or 'MP' uses a unique 'team setting' to teach core values. It uses the Samoan tropical island environment to create 'mountain top' experiences where all activities are designed to intensify learning and teach our core values.

MP has 5 levels. Each level has required tasks to complete to advance to the next level. Each task teaches a core value.

ALL Levels require: teamwork, leadership, goal setting, personal sacrifice, commitment, service, learning culture & language, facilitating cultural activities at the program culture center, song, dance, art, 'fautasi' long boat rowing, hiking, cooking, planting/harvesting, family heritage/genealogy, personal growth activities, education and therapy.

The MP educational component offers BYU Independent Study Courses to work towards diploma requirements; in addition, as part of level advancement, students are required to complete a 'personal development' curriculum that range in topics such as 'examining the lives of the Founding Fathers' to 'developing character' to even 'financial literacy.'

STAFF:

Marketing / Admissions
Sione Tavake grew up in Northern California. He attended University of Utah where he earned a BA in Political Science. Mr. Tavake has vast experience in the juvenile justice system serving as a parole officer, probation officer, foster parent, and tracker. For the last 13 years as Executive Director of New Leaf Alternative a private youth placement company serving the State of Utah. Mr. Tavake's personable and high energy personality has allowed him to make friends with everyone he meets, especially the many youth he's served over the years. His commitment to Manuia Plantation's Core Values reveals itself in his personal and family life. He and his good wife Maile have 6 children and have lived in Draper Utah for 18 years.

Head Coach (Program Director) / Trainer / Owner
Coach Alema S. Fitisemanu II grew up in Apia and is an authority on Samoan culture and Samoa's tropical island environment. He is thankful for the wisdom gained while part of the management team of Provo Canyon School and Coral Reef Academy Samoa. Each year of experience, 7 years in all, has played a part in solidifying his own beliefs on how to affect change in troubled teens. He has created Manuia Plantation inserting all the necessary components he has come by over the years. He and his wife Geraldine have 5 children of their own and take a hands on approach to their roles as the "Dad and Mom" of Manuia Plantation. Their home over the years has been a place of sanctuary for youth. Whether they lived in Los Angeles, San Diego, Provo UT or Samoa, it is not unusual to find a house-full of youth, over for dinner or just to spend time with their family. Coach Fitisemanu has a BA in Political Science from Brigham Young University and has vast experience in team sports and physical fitness, having played on several championship college football teams including having been inducted in the Brigham Young University Sports Hall of Fame as a member of their 1984 National Championship Football Team. His hobbies are reading, scuba diving, travelling, watching rugby and playing with his kids. Coach lives permanently in Samoa and supervises all student activities.