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Alldredge Academy
Rebecca Meekins
jgmadman24@verizon.net
March 25, 2005
Upon searching the internet looking for help for my teen
daughter I came upon David Levin's name. Unfortunately there
weren't alot of resources for Maryland but call him I did.
We met with David on January 7 of this year and on January
10, at 5:00 a.m he had my daughter escorted to Alldredge Academy.
Taking that step was one of the hardest things I've ever done.
Throughout this process Mr. Levin treated us all with the
utmost compassion and professionalism. Mr. Levin's partner
George was the actual transport person (along with Amy) and
they kept in touch with me that day. Upon dropping my daughter
off George called me on his way back and told me that I had
a beautiful, bright daughter who was making some poor choices
and hanging with the wrong people. He assured me Alldredge
would be our salvation (not in those exact words). During
these last 10 weeks Mr. Levin has kept in touch and even went
so far as to see my daughter at Alldredge when he was there
at other times. He had a vested interest and he (still) cared!
How inspiring!
Alldredge has done more for my daughter in the last 10 weeks
than the prior 4 years of Therapist, Psychiatrist and Medication!
They do not punish or medicate! They challenge these kids!
Physically (Wilderness), Spiritually (Village), Mentally (Academic),
Socially, Emotionally. Mike Beswick is the Clinical Director
and he conducts the Parent/Family Workshops that are mandatory.
They happen at the end of the Wilderness phase and The Village
phase. They are 3 days each, all day long and they are POWERFUL.
They are INFORMATIVE! They are EMPOWERING! They are INSPIRING!
They are INSPIRATIONAL! and most of all, they are HELPFUL!
All the staff involved with your children from Wilderness
instructors, to counselors, to Village Elders are involved
in the workshops. You can tell these people love your kids,
you can tell they care and you can tell they work hard. These
are the people that are true heroes! I want to thank you for
your site! It led me to the people who are changing my daughters
life. Don't get me wrong. My daughter wasn't a horrible child.
She was on the wrong path, making some poor choices, very
angry and very confused, and nothing we did was making a difference.
Her future at that time looked unreliable at best. Now my
daughter is working on her self with out peer pressure and
outside interference. She is working on honesty, empathy,
responsibility and family value. And while working on all
this she is getting her high school diploma. She talks of
goals and her future. Her relationship with her father, which
3 months ago was hostile to say the least is now positive
and warm. These has not been a Picnic or Slumber Party for
my daughter. She has worked hard! During the program, all
during there is intense, continuous therapy. Group and Individual
which does not stop at any point. This program has even changed
me and my parenting skills, for the better. Finally I just
want to say that Alldredge has impacted me so much I am now
volunteering to work with them to get their "philosophy"
out to society. I am a Alumnae Family Foundation member looking
for a spot in their committee to help more children in this
country. It's certainly sad how many do!
Thank you For Listening,
R.M.
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