New Leaf Academy (North Carolina)
Wednesday, February 2nd, 2005
New Leaf Academy
2075 N. Rugby Rd.
Hendersonville, NC 28791
866-479-5323 (toll free)
828-280-1578
828-668-4751 (fax)
www.newleafacademy.com
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Hi, My name is Lauren. I am a New Leaf Academy graduate of 2004. I came @ age 11, and left right before I turned 13. NLA was a great place for me to learn and grow. However, NLA is changing very much and it kind of makes me sad because it used to be owned by different people who kept it small. Now it has kind of turned into a buisness. But OĶ I still know a lot of what it feels like to be there. If you or your child is looking to go there. You can contact me and ask anything. I would love to answer your questions because I have been there done that and I hope others can benifit from it, too. My best reguards, Lauren, 13
We are considering New Leaf Academy, NC for our thirteen year old and would be interested in hearing more from parents and students who attended New Leaf Oregon campus– pluses and minuses.
Thanks
I have a houseparent here that is interested in moving to your area. She is wondering if you have any houseparent openings. Please let me know. Thanks for your help.
Our daughter completed 25mo @ New Leaf in Bend OR in 12/04. She had major issues of attachment(to adoptive parents), anger toward birth mother, and learning differences. Although she still dislikes school, she is able to move forward with life despite her personal struggles, and our family has remained intact, due, in large part, to the inroads made while @ New Leaf.
We are considering New Leaf Academy, NC for our thirteen year old and would be interested in hearing more from parents and students alike
Thanks
My neice wants to send her 14 year old daughter to New Leaf, but the fee she told me for one year is $50,000.00, which she will have to go into debt. I would like more information regarding your school and how you can help my great neice Angel in less than one year. I am told you only take children 14 and under. She turned 14 in August,2006. I am very concerned and would like to know if you have helped children with the problems she has.
Raymond,
You should contact New Leaf directly at http://www.newleafacademy.com
Perhaps Raymond should reconsider posting so much personal information about his niece. This could make things even harder on their family. Best Wishes.
concerned, I edited Raymond’s post to, hopefully, take care of your concern. Thanks, good idea.
Hi, Looking for an update on New Leaf, good points and negatives. New leaf vs wilderness. Any thoughts someone can share are appreciated.
I am considering sending my daughter who is 16 to New Leaf. She is very anger, disrespectful. I got divorced 3 years ago due to her dad using drugs. I would like some feed back on the school in North Carolina
Hello. My name is Calli Gasparis and I am a graduate of New Leaf Academy North Carolina. I graduated in 2007 when I turned 16 years old. I learned that when a girl gets overwhelmed to sit down with her and don’t ask what is going on, let her open it up to you. Pressure may cause things to get worse. I was sent to New Leaf on April 18th, 2005 and I grew to actually love New Leaf. Wilderness can help a girl grow a lot but I grew to find that New Leaf has a much bigger effect on girls. I found myself and what was going on with me. I grew to know how to express what was going on inside instead of taking it out on others. I think that New Leaf Academy definitely has an affect on girls and can help tremendously. It did for me.If you are planning it send your daughter to New Leaf, your daughter is in safe hands.
New Leaf Academy does help. I did not graduate the program, but i was there for 13 months. It is a great way to reconnect with the family. I feel like i am finally happy at home and get along SO MUCH BETTER than I did before. I think I would’ve litterally gone crazy if my parents hadn’t sent me there. It is money well spent parents. They might complain about it but in the end they are so VERY greatful.
Hey Ally… I am glad to hear everything is going well with your parents. I know that you did not graduate by the laws of New Leaf but in my heart you were a graduate. You worked very hard and was successful in your journey. I hope you are keeping in touch with New Leaf.Keep going strong. I love! By the way…Ally is right. The children at first do say that they hate New Leaf but they end up growing so attached to it that you will hear them talk about New Leaf all the time when they leave. I know I do!
heyy ally and calli!
wow thats good you are all doing good wow this is pretty random…lol
Hey Britt. You know when I got on this website and saw your name I started to flip out just like I did with ally. LOL this is random and weird. Well…anyways how are you doing? Oh my gosh….when I saw that it was you I couldn’t spell my own name…that is sad…but anyways. I love!
haha u guys are weird! hehe! That guy Raymond who wrote about Angel shouldn’t have said all that. Angel is a great person and she shouldn’t have her personal information on the internet like this!
Hi, my name is haley. and i graduatd from New Leaf in August. new leaf was a great experience for me. when i got to nla, i was extremely depressed, my parents were scared half to death for me. and after i think about it, i was pretty scared too. But, anyway, im not going to give you my whole story, but i can definatly say that new leaf will help you daughter, and its so worth it.
Thanks for the honest comment Haley, glad it worked out for you.
Haley,
I assume you went to NLA in N. Carolina and not Oregon. I visited the one in Oregon a while back and seemed like a good place for the right girl.
Glad you’ve improved your life. Good luck.
wow, im glad my family says things about me on the damn internet without me knowing.tell the whole family story “raymond”- wtf? what is this website? doesnt LD stand for learning dissorder?
Angel: my guess is that raymond is trying to do the right thing for you. Hopefully you’ll forgive him. I’m going to edit the comment now so it’s less degrading of you. My apologies for letting it through.
Angel…my lovely…i kno it is a personal comment and you have ever right to be frustrated but honey use the lovely tools you gained at NLA.
New Leaf graduates please reply:
New Leaf doesn’t post the names or qualifications of the staff on their website. Do you know why? Please tell me about the students attending the school. Do they have a quality program for girls with LD? What helped you the most and how are you doing now?
when i said friend i meant friends
Carolina Mom New leaf does have a quality program for girls with learning disorders. for me the thing that helped me the most was all the care from the girls and adults.
hi im ashley nussbaum a former student of new leaf academy of north carolina HI BRITT CALI ANGEL AND ALLY!!! well allthough i was only there for 4months tehehe um i learned alot! and its a great learning expierence and i just dont recomend that you keep your kids on for more than 1 year
welp, hello again! haha… hello ashhleyyy… um idk really what to say sooo yeah nla helped me sooo much and i learned a lot of tools to help me soooo yeah.
I am interested in any negative information about New Lea to try to confirm what I am learning about the school now. A school that is a for-profit business alarms me, especially the punitive nature of much o the program.
Anita, I’m curious as to why you’re seeking negative info. Are you a parent that wants to make sure you get the full picture?
I am a grandparent who has gotten negative information and want to confirm or refute it.
Anita
Anita: your post here is rather provocative. Why don’t you tell us what you’ve heard so that others can refute it.
heyy guys oncce again it ashley loll im in scholl right now and were not doing anything so i decided to come on and leave a comment well hi britt asgain omg we have to talk on aim well nla helped me much and its a great learning expireence but like i said dont keep ur kids there for more rthan 1 year =] smiles and laughes
xoxox
ashley
Anita, my daughter is there now (in NC) and has made dramatic strides in 6 months. I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I can personally tell you that this school is working for us when everything else has failed. It’s worth every penny — and yes, it does cost a fortune, but my daughter is worth it.
New Leaf was the worst experience of my life. I was there for 2 years of my life. It sucked. Most kids after leaving are okay for a month but then feel like they need to get back at their parents for sending them away. So they end up worse before there just sneakier. That is how most of my fellow graduates are. DON’T SEND CHILDREN THERE!TRUST ME!!!! A number of then smoke pot and stuff now, it is so retarded of them.
First, let me state the the letters that follow my name are Ph.D., M.A., and M.S.Ed. I am certified in L.D. I have a daughter there who has bipolar and LDHD issues. My ex sent her there (N.C. campus) without an interview. No assessment was made. No determination as to whether she is a fit. The place is bogus and run strictly for profit. The website is misleading (that’s not a real bedroom–your child will live in a cramped basemnt room with little daylight and a bathroom with no door). The grounds are disgusting. The classrooms are trailers. There is no gym. Food is substandard. Staff is unqualified and counselors are part time. Mine does not even other to make her weekly calls to me. Mail is opened and withheld (contrary to published statements). They do not discuss family or personal issues. The teaching faculty is minimally qualified. Most are not certified. The school is not SACS accredited, though they claim they have applied. The texts are the same series/publisher used by the N.C. public school system. The library has less than 300 books in it. The field is hilly and useless for sports. There is no gym. Fencing–highly touted–is rarely taught as the instructor is often away.
The girls there seem unhappy.
Need I say more? Oh—better have $20,000 ready at admission–preferably in small unmarked bills.
orchiddoctor: wow, what a comment. I’m speechless.
I recently interview at the nearly bankrupt Hidden Lakes Academy (the lawsuit really hurt them). I did not get the job–which is okay by me. Instead of placing someone with high credentials on their roster-something that I would do to counter the criticism that their teachers are underqualified–they decided to hire a non-certified college grad for peanuts. Strictly a money issue.
The same m.o. applies at most of these schools: don’t spend when you can get away with it. Cat Jennings, owner of NLA, told me on Friday that they would not hire an L.P.N. or an R.N. as that would be an unnecessary expense. I don’t know about you, but I would like my kid to have a qualified person handing out meds and being there to treat injuries, make initial medical decisions, etc.
This goes for the rest of the staff as well. Let’s do some math:
Let’s assume that each teacher s paid $35,000 a year. The counselors are all part time. Let’s give them $25,000. House staff–with high school diplomas–part time–$15,000. 5 teachers=$175,000. Five counselors = $125,000. 5 staffers = $75,000. Let’s add in other staffers at, say, $100,000. Then administration at $200,000. Various
contracted people–the local shrink, et al–another $100,000. Let’s round that to $800,000. Toss in $100,000 on maintainance and $100,000 on loan interest. We’re at a cool million. Let’s add 50 percent to that because I could be off by a few dollars. So A million and a half.
Now, let’s take 50 students @$70,000 per year. That’s 3,500,000. Add, of course, the one time tuition fee, th alumni fee, and the uniform fee for, say, ten of them. That’s $130,000!!!!! So, we’re making a cool two million. Surely we could take that $130,000 and hire better personnel? Or take a million and build a gym? Or begin work on real classrooms?
Okay, you argue– my math is poor. I’m off by a million. Still . . . . For $6,000 a month, I could hire a private tutor, an experienced shrink, send her to a local boarding school without all the b.s. restrictions, see her on weekends, and have enough left over for two weeks in Kona.
These places are created for profit, first and foremost. You would think that for integrity’s sake they would be non-profit with a governing board. You’d think that they would have appropriate people on that board. You’d think–but you’d be wrong.
Scams are scams.
Oh–I meant to add–I’m glad I’m not at HLA because a) most of what was in the class action suit is true–very little has been fixed–and b) they are bouncing paychecks left and right.
so hello again… im sorta bored and yeah nla was a good experience it changed my outlook on things. but im not ganna lie i hated it hahahahaha
Anyone have any information on the Darrow School in NY or Winchendon in Mass?
I was wondering about Darrow too, what have you heard? I have an ADHD daughter with language processing difficulties and was concerned Darrow might be too challenging based on their website, but if you know anything about it, please share.
I went to tour it this week. They offer 4 day a week tutorials. Really creative teaching. Small classes but not specific remedial programs. Sounds like a really nuturing supportive environment for children who need extra help. Seems like alot of children are on meds. I was impressed it just did not seem right for my son.
Orchidoctor,
Do you have an opinion on therapeutic Wilderness camps? Know anything about three Springs or Eckherd Youth Alternatives?
New Leaf does not post credentials of the staff and when I ask real questions they quit answering me.
New leaf is a bunch of crap if your daughter is on “the wild side” if shes immature and needs help learning social skills i think its great. however if your daughter has potential for or is using drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity etc, it does not help. it simply makes things more appealing. like the fact that being able to listen to an edited CD is the most exciting thing in the world there does not help girls get there priorities straight. they also never spoke about the dangers of sex and drugs, and never taught us how to deal with the temptations of the real world, they just assumed we would not be tempted because they gave us “skills”. I went there at 12, graduated at 13, a fifteen month stay. yet when i left i was WORSE!
So please to anyone interested in sending your child there, THIS SCHOOL HELPS PEOPLE WITH SOCIAL SKILLS AND IMMATURITY. not with SEX DRUGS OR ALCOHOL! so be cautious and dont fall into there crap…youll be wasting your money on a crappy educational program and risking further temptation for you child.
I hope this helps someone!
Wow, it sounds like this school is not for everyone, or, according to some, for anyone.
well i have a soon to be step daughter that was recentey involved in new leaf acadamy in hendersonville and after 18 months sent home expeled from there for reasons that should of been withen there control, even had phone calls from the school asking what they should do about her i thought they were the professionals ? through the last few months even though they said there school was where she needed to be and was good for her, i can give lots of information about this school if anyone would like my imput and i would love to hear from parents who might of had the same result!
New Leaf is definately a school that can curb some inmaturity and provide social skills. One of the few places a young girl can just be that, a young girl with out the pressures of sex, drugs an alcohol and may save the relationship between daughter and parents from being tense and disconnected for many years to come.
As far as the young ladies with big girl issues like sex, alcohol and drugs they may need a little more.
Orchid doctor — please let me know who you are. There are legal issues pending that require more information.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Anita
Kiki,
In regards to Darrow in NY I wne to visit the staff were vewry nice and supportive, but the kids are expected to be rather independent. It seemed like alot of children are asked to leave at the end or middle of the year if they are not performing academicly. the campus is unique as it is a historic Shaker village. They are really into studying the environment and have a community work day every week. The kids sign up for work crews to maintain the campus. Alot of kids ski and the campus is remote. Not the right school for my kid but for some it would be a wonderful education.
Well, all I can say is, my daughter has been in the NC school for a year now and the change in her is nothing short of amazing. Prior to New Leaf, she was violent, explosive, emotionally and socially delayed, zero self esteem, seething with anger, and blamed everybody else for all her problems. She has blossomed into a self-confident, emotionally aware teen that others actually look up. New Leaf has helped her accomplish what four different therapists, numerous groups, hospitalizations, and residential treatment facilities could not do. The program isn’t supposed to be for girls with “big girl” issues. They may not be perfect — no facilty is — but they have done a fabulous job with my daughter and I have nothing but praise for them.
Prior to sending our daughter to New Leaf, we were in despair. After a decade of treatment by counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, 2 years of pyschotropic drugs and a week of inpatient psychiatric care we had a daughter who reacted explosively to normal life stressors, was spiraling down in school, had run away 4 times, and seemed destined for an adolescence steeped in sex, drugs and rock and roll. After fifteen months at New Leaf, she has clearly begun a new path that can lead her to a healthy and productive adulthood. Like Robyn’s daughter, she too has become a leader that other girls look up to. All this was accomplished without the “helpful” medications that psychiatrists had prescribed. My wife and I, our other two daughters and the rest of our family are grateful for this transformation and do not believe that it would have been possible without the New Leaf Academy.
if the school is not made for girls with “big girl” issues, then why do they advertise that they are equipped for them, and except them to the school? its just a greedy business, nothing more.
We have a 13 year old daughter who is currently attending the SUWS wilderness program in North Carolina. The staff is recommending NLA in Hendersonville as a next step for her. We are seeking counsel! Can anyone comment on the allegations made by Orchidoctor? (Regarding staff education, student accommodations, results?)
Thanks!
yeah…so… they claim that they have great food and everything (btw I’m an August ‘08 grad) but the girls gain 10-15 pounds on average. I had a houseparent call me an ass. There are body fluids and waste on the floors and walls. I was sprayed in the eyes with Lysol by another student. It is aimed to help girls with autism, asperger’s, etc., but they accept girls (to get more money) who have problems with sexual promiscuity, drugs, and depression. Girs who go there b/c they cut themselves do it anyways, girls who go there because of drugs do it anyways, and there was much, MUCH lesbian activity. Also, a girl threw a PVC water bottle at me and I had to get stitches. I was spyed on by other girls while showering and toileting. Also, in the vans, the drivers swerve, trying ON PURPOSE to hit things. And the teachers are horrible, they go on MySpace during class and tell us to do worksheets. I was learning at a fifth-sixth grade level in eighth grade and they lump geniuses and lazy students together in classes. And by the way, Angel, you didn’t have sex with a teacher.
My daughter entered the school in June. It is truly amazing to see her progress. Since the school openly says that they do not accept kids who are acting out sexually or have active drug or suicide issues, I find the above comment, curious at best. I have been an advocate for emotionally distressed children for the past 7 years and looked throughout the country for an appropriate school for my very unhappy child. This school had fewer parent complaints than any other that I researched. The facilities are not glamorous but are just fine. There are several parent groups from the Washington DC area who have children currently at this school. We all rave about it. New Leaf Academy-North Carolina changed my child’s life and in the process, changed our family’s life in the very best of ways.
yeah well Susan you don’t go there and all the parents think that but I bet your kid hates it like hell and the staff probably hate her too. Also I bet she has gained at least ten pounds.
Whoa folks, calm down. This web site has nothing to do with the commentary here, we just list schools and allow people to comment. If you want to flame each other I suggest you take it someplace else.
Are there libelous comments here? If so, point them out or email me and I’ll take them down. rwanderman at gmail dot com.
rachel snower???
I replied earlier to this post and will clarify my experience. When I toured New Leaf Academy North Carolina, I was able to speak with many students(not just school assigned students) about their experiences. I found the kids to be honest and forthright. Some complained about the rules but understood that the rules were necessary to create a safe and therapeutic setting. Obviously not all children will be happy at a school such as New Leaf. Most every child that I spoke with was able to take some personal responsibility for the problems in their life. I was sending a child who showed little to no insight into the genesis of her emotional and behavioral difficulties. I was very impressed with the level of maturity, kindness of heart and commitment to progress that the New Leaf students showed. I met with countless teachers and counselors, all of who had specialized training to work with emotionally troubled youngsters. My child’s current counselor has a Master’s degree in counseling and although new to the school, has tremendous skill in her dealings with both child and family. Yes, my daughter has had consequences for her negative behaviors. Some of these have been what they call “banns” and something called, “silence”. These strategies involve asking the child not to speak with a group of students because they have been mean or rude to the other girls. This imposed quiet offers a chance for the student to contemplate on what they have done and to do some soul-searching with their counselor to come up with effective communication strategies. This is called a natural consequence. I think that it is a perfect “real-world” lesson. If we are rude and mean to people, we will not have people who wish to be friends with us. Excellent preparation for later years! As far as gaining 10 pounds, it could happen at any program. My daughter has not gained a pound, has discovered that physical excercise can be a pleasure and has learned to choose appropriate portions at meals. I receive photos of my child, regular academic progress reports and the directors of the program are always available to speak with. My child does NOT hate the program. She finds it difficult at times but thanks me almost weekly as well as privately on visits, for sending her there. Her words- “Mom, I think you saved my life by sending me to New Leaf.” I think that we did too! Susan
this was definitely the worst experience of my life. Girls continuously touched me wrongly and I was yelled at and cursed at by a houseparent. Please, don’t send your daughter here; look elsewhere.
In a nutshell, if you’re going to send your daughter to a therapeudic school choose something better than a legitimate hell and illegitimate school such as New Leaf Academy.
It’s not the right way to teach them the lesson they were sent to learn, it will only make your parent-child relationship worse, as it will always be an unforgivable decision you made for them that will burden the rest of your lives.
Enough said.
this was one of the worst experiences of my life. the campus is dirty, the academics are below average, the houseparents are lazy, and the student body is filled with dangerous influences
I was ahead of most of the students in my class and had already taken a number of courses i was being required to take at nla. i had shown that i was organized and responsible, yet the teachers denied me the tool of an independent study. now i am behind in some subjects of my current school, such as spanish, because i was not taught at the proper level for me and my learning style at new leaf. and it is obvious that the teachers do not want to teach at this school; they are not as involved in our learning experiences as they should have been as teachers, and often leave students to fend for themselves when it comes to understanding subject matter.
some houseparents may want to work in this school, but the majority make it clear that they do not. the school is constantly replacing houseparents because staff keep quitting. When i left nla, i was there for 15 months and i had been there longer than over 2/3 of the current staff. I had, on many occasions, a houseparent yell at me and call me stupid. They do not do anything to support us most of the time, and usually end up sitting in the corner with other houseparents talking about what they are doing after work.
the student body is probably one of the biggest causes for worry in this school. while i was there, i had chairs and books thrown at me, someone spit on me, and i was slapped and cursed at. girls do not shower or clean themselves or their belongings, sexual activity is common, girls who cut themselves do it regularly, and girls occasionally attempt suicide. NLA is supposed to be for girls as young as 10. this kind of atmosphere is not suitable for a 10 year old girl, and would most probably frighten her or influence her to take part in these dangerous activities.
the website may advertise a “supportive environment and the finest education in a homelike setting on one of two beautiful campuses in Oregon or North Carolina,” but that is exactly the opposite of the real experience. it is life-changing, but not in a good way. i am not saying this solely because i hated my time there, but because i am concerned for those who may attend this school in the future. do not send your daughter to new leaf academy; it is a surefire way to damage, if not ruin, their childhood, teenage years, and so on.
please, please, PLEASE don’t send your daughter there. Please. Choose something else, please, please. I am BEGGING you. Everything the recent graduates have said is true. If you want to help your child, do NOT send her here.
Augustgrad: Why? Can you give us a few reasons why you think this school should be avoided?
Hi!!! I’m a graduate of NLANC August 2008. I just relized that my dad wrote about me on here (not something i’m particularly happy with).Anyways, i love NLA. it’s actually become my home as well as my present placement. augustgrad, is this cathrine? or mishy? From my perspective, i have changed to the extreme! no joke… i’m kinder, more attentive, and i no longer have angry outbursts anymore. I have had a hard time leaving NLA. I lived there for 16 months and developed friends that i would not have gotten in the real world. The counsolers are the best counsolers that one can get, even if your daughter get angry or thinks she hates them. The program needs your daughter to accept her being there and positivity to actually work. I’m much happier now, something i couldn’t understand before i came to NLA.
Okay- Here’s the honest truth about New Leaf:
New Leaf woke me up and made me look at reality…. because it was horrible. New Leaf tries to teach you things that you have to learn on your own, and through your own experience. If you send your daughter to New Leaf Academy, what they learn will not stick with them. After graduates leave (i know this because I’ve talked to them) they usually do poorly. This is not the right way to help or support your daughter. Please seek out another school.
have you even gone to NLA and tried to cooperate with the program? sure, there are graduates who screw up after, but whose fault is it for faking the program? New leaf asked you to work out all your problems with your parents and your life, before you leave. those who didn’t let out EVERYTHING suffered with those unsolved issues after discharge. it’s common sense. i honestly don’t care if you’re unhappy, because you’re the one who didn’t give all your effort and i, who did, am very happy. I love my life much more than i did, if not completely. so, for those who wrote all those stories about how bad NLA is, look at yourself and see how great your life is w/out the school. Do you get along w/ your parents? Do you even have friends, and if so, are they good influencial friends? I know i’m probably really pissing you guys off, but get a life (literally).
yes in fact, i have a great life thank you very much Maura. and i was completely honest to the program and didn’t fake it and you know what? it didn’t work! i’m not doing badly right now- i’m actually doing really well- but i could have gotten here without new leaf’s help. nla taught me, if anything at all, that life can get A LOT worse than you could ever think. it might have helped you, but for the vast majority of recent graduates, what they learned didn’t stick. nla’s intentions for helping troubled teenagers may have been virtuous and right when they started the school, but now the program has turned into a big lie.
and as far as friends go, most, if not all, of the friends you make there end up completely forgetting about you or ditching you when they leave. i know i only talk to 2 or 3 people i knew from that school, because everyone else ended up being fake and only were my friend to get through the program. Also, people don’t really want to talk to people they could consider reminders of their past at a school they would rather forget.
i don’t know. maybe nla helped you, and that’s great. i’m just saying that kind of success is not very common at nla. if the program’s success rate is that low, i know i wouldn’t send my kid there and i would look for another place that didn’t ask for tens of thousands of dollars a year and yielded nothing but my child hating me afterwards for sending her there.
i pretty much suggest not to send your kid there. i mean yeah i guess it helped in some ways. but it wasnt the nessasary help that kids should be getting. its a little too much. and its really annoying there. and not a good enviroment. i guess i can see how some people enjoyed it but thats because none of them had a good life outside of new leaf. plus new leaf is SO expensive. seriously 6,0000we9083w859858532 dollars a month? thats insane.
im glad i went there to meet some of the people i did like catherine and mishy if you guys are on here(:
and im on the phone with chloe right now.
we’re anti new leaf.
New leaf was a horrible experience. It still brings back terrible memories even months after I left… the staff there DO NOT care about the girls, like they say they do. They yell and demand things from the girls which causes more fights, stress, and anger. The counselors only allow the girls to speak to their families once a week, and our family relationship got disconnected even worse …letter writing was too slow for communication, and by the time my parents got the letters, there were new issues going on. This school was very isolating to the point where it made me feel worthless and like nothing matters in life anymore. The hobbies I use to enjoy before New Leaf were not there for me to do, and I felt like I couldn’t express myself in anyway. The staff did not let the girls advocate for themselves and would put words in their mouths that sometimes weren’t even true. If a girl was sick, the staff would not treat them fair and the nurse would sometimes not even give me anything when i was sick. There was no singing or drama programs at this school which limited creative expression. Art was a very big passion for me and nla depressed me more when I was there because I was not able to do what I loved anymore. New Leaf also takes music away from the students which is a huge relaxing stress reliever. Everyday that I woke up I felt depressed, locked in, and trapped. I was unable to speak for myself.
The physical activity was very limited because there was no gym and just a open field where we could walk. After school there was very limited activities and the staff were unenthusiastic. On the weekends we would sit in the living room all together sometimes for hours, escpecially on rainy days and on sunny days we would sit outside for hours with no activities. The staff would mostly just talk amongst themselves and not engage with the students. The school also had horrible academics with little choices. Your classes were chosen for you. There was no honors classes or electives of choice. My academics got very behind while I was at new leaf, and I am still behind in school to this day becasue of it. I am getting tutoring in subjects I used to be in honors for. After leaving New Leaf I felt more tempted to have sex and do drugs than before because I felt so trapped and overprotected while I was there. The food at the school was very fattening and unhealthy. The girls get lots of acne from the food, including myself, and gain lots of weight. Some of the weight I gained there, I am still trying to get off. Since I’ve been home, it has been hard to look at life the same. There were many disturbing events that I remember. Such as one girl trying to commit suicide, girls throwing things and hurting others, girls cutting themselves, girls talking about disturbing past events in their lives, girls running away, and girls rebelling. Even after I have returned home, I am still angry at my parents for sending me away, and sometimes feel like doing worse because of it. I feel like our communication is no better than before. The money my parents used at new leaf has taken away from my future education such as college which has caused lots of anger and arguments in our house…
Overall, in my opinion, New Leaf took away from my life, more than helped it. It has made me behind in my music and education.
However, I know that lots of people will doubt what I have said. This is my opinion and I’m not lying about anything I have said. I want people to know the truth so they can send their kids to a safe, comfortable environment to get the support they need. New Leaf is not a place that can do that for anyone. I needed to say this and to get it out there about how I feel, I’m not asking anyone to believe it. It is your choice in the end.
ok, so a lot of these negative stories about nla are true to an extent. I just want to ask for every old new leaf student to say at least two things positive about NLA, because there are positives and i’ve seen you guys smile before, so i know there are at least some. i’m for this because there are parents who have already sent their kid to NLA and should also have the right to hear some of the positives about NLA, since they just read a crap load of negative. Why make the parents feel worse than they already are? just do it and be helpful, b/c i’m suppose to do a good deed for my grandma and this is it, so make it good. plz? anyways, i’m not mad at you and i’m not saying that you guys are incorrect. Also, if anyone knows Jessie’s whereabouts, plz tell me. thanks!
Maura, great idea. Thanks.
if parents want to read positive, usually untrue or exaggerated, stories about the new leaf program, then they can go to the website. some of these stories on this site are positive, and the parents can choose to read those, instead of the negative ones. But most of them are negative. that should give any parents out there who are reading these stories an idea of the outcomes of this school. girls do not want to go there, do not want to stay there, and do not want to remember their time there. the positive things that happened while i was there were mostly in part of my “friends” and i hanging out, and those people ended up never contacting me when we left nla.
i realize that i sound extremely cynical and very over the top about this school, but in reality, i am merely stating the facts about my own experience there. you may have enjoyed your time there and are the pride and joy of the nla program, maura, but the vast, vast majority of the graduates and the people who leave either end up doing worse than when they started or go back to doing exactly the same things as they did before nla.
so you can say whatever you want about how nla helped you, but that is your opinion and your opinion alone. let the other alumni on this site be allowed to tell their stories, and not be required to add in things that are false about their personal experiences there.
Hey you guys of NLANC! wat’s up? i just want to comment on NLA. ok? well, i have to say that i hated it there for months, but towards the end, it got a lot better. It’s true that girls go on dangerous tantrums and can scream and cry for hours (how do they have the vocal chords to do that?), anyways, that was always really frustrating. But i do have to say that the staff are very good at knowing everything that happens. i tried to sneak something one time and i was so certain that NO ONE was there seeing me and the next day i got slammed because the staff reported it. they can tell when i’m about to be impulsive, or yell, or laugh really loud. Most of the counsloers are great and easy to befriend and i also befriended a lot of the staff. The kitchen staff are awesome too. they’re so funny and fun. The Athletics wasn’t great, but we had physical activities everyday, except sunday. i made a lot of great friends who i wouldn’t have befriended before do to stereotypes. but yea, i was somewhat of a painful experience, but one needs to suck it up, b/c it’s livable and usually works out in the end… that all i have to say. oh and remebers wat Ms. Charolette says when you say “what”
yeah maura be quiet. you don’t know what you’re saying you have no idea what you’re talking about. you are probably the one without friends. you tried to be just like me when i was there so you are obviously insecure. don’t tell me i’m fake because i’m not. just because nla didnt help me doesn’t mean i faked the program, thanks though, ms. maura. and since you know everything, why do ask questions? you have no idea what you’re talking about so shut up and stick to your “skating”
hey!!! i can’t believe there’s a blog for nla… anyways, i’m glad to be outta nla. i wasn’t happy there and i constantly felt depressed, but i guess it was like a cold shower waking me up… i was acting pretty damn stupid at home, so at least im a little better. leave maura alone. she only hung on to that skating thing for like 5 months. and if she thought the program was good for her, well thats great. no need to be bitching on her. how did she copy anyone? seriously, she’s like this funny, random person who hung out with regan. anyone who hung out with regan isn’t copying someone. i don’t know about u guys, but she was my friend and i stick up for my friends. oh and if maura is reading this email me @ truelyscrewed@aim.com. bibi
i think you guys are overreacting, i was looking up long placements. and this one seemed fine, and my friend went there last year, she never said it was as bad as all that. so maybe step back and look at this before you rant about it maybe the good is overreacting but so are the bad points, they would have been shut down already if it were truely as bad as you say. want to talk to me about it? talk to me on aim. ke nnz iie and deal with me there.
Here’s the deal. I was at New Leaf for 2 years. almost exactly. There I found some of the most supreme discomfort i had experienced up to that point.
Constant judgement; METICULOUS rules that frankly make no sense.for example
Sex doesn’t exist?
Celebrities don’t exist?
A world outside of New Leaf doesn’t exist?
Some argue that New Leaf isn’t the proper environment, but seeing as how it is therapeutic, [in some kind of way] don’t you think any issue any child is having should be open for disscusion. The thing i felt many houseparents and more authoritative figures failed to realize is that SHIT HAPPENS.
I was sent there with a much more detailed list of issues than anger management and failing relationships, and so were SEVERAL other girls. I remember once a good friend of mine said something that was bothering her pretty badly in a group, and she was asked to leave and punished.
Group is a safe place? Group is judgement.
The incredible amount of lies and bullshit we were fed about how we should be, and how the world really is was unbelievable. i am completely convinced none of the adults in that program practice what they preach, if they did they would be failures.
Not successful business people. Simply because they would let people walk all over them in fear of what someone else would do or say.
I personally developed 2 anxiety disorders based on my fear of imperfection that was also developed while attending New Leaf. Everything i did was watched analyzed, written down and most certainly used against me at a later date.
I can not express to you the amount of fear i felt just facing a new day. I was constantly expecting
“you’re going to SUWS”
or “Here’s some orange shirts. Go shovel the driveway.”
I was once asked what i saw when i looked in the mirror.
What did i see?
I saw an unhappy girl in an orange shirt.
They knew we were miserable, and they REFUSED to change.
we came in miserable
we left miserable
And we are all the SAME people. despite what sick brainwashing new leaf has instilled into some of you.
We are real people now.
the only recovery we needed was from the damage done at New Leaf.
[by the way if your curious as to who this is, please feel free to hit me up on myspace. the link is given.]
I am seriously considering sending my daughter to New Leaf…..when I stumbled on this blog I was extremely upset by the horrible things written on here by former New Leaf attendees.
I went to visit New Leaf this past week and discussed at length these blog entries. I was told by many of the staff there that the girls who wrote those blogs were mostly girls that did not stay at the program….and who were doing this to make people feel bad, because they obviously are troubled girls who did not reap the benefits of the program.
I also found out the Orchid doctor’s daughter is still in the program and he has changed his mind (so I suggested they get him to recount his statements about New Leaf) I researched and found almost all the negative statement by him and those girls to be either gross exaggerations or untrue!
I spent extensive time with two girls who are currently in the program and found that they were honest about the program being very difficult but life changing.
The house they live in is not fancy, but very cozy and comfortable.
The majority of the rooms are upstairs where it is light and bright.
The room on the lower floor are a bit darker, but not like living in a basement. I saw shower schedules on many doors, hygiene is one of the things they work on there.
If you are like me, your life is difficult and needs to be changed.
I have been told by all the parents of New Leaf girls that I have spoken too that this program takes a lot of work…..and if you want changes in you and your family’s lives, then this program must be adhered to: otherwise they say it does waste your money.
I personally don’t feel like I have any other choice. If you are like me and have sought out many avenues of help and haven’t had the outcome you like….then this I pray will be a solution for us.
This program is unique and it deserves the utmost respect.
These people are not out for our money they genuinely care about the outcome of these struggling girls and their families.
We have decided to send our daughter there in Jan 09.
I will keep you posted as to our experience.
Don’t make your decision based on these troubled girl’s blog entries……go there yourself and talk to the girls and their parents.
Lisa
Lisa-
a couple of things i would like to clear up about your previous post. First of all, a great number of the “horrible things” written on this site have been posted by graduates. this shows that the program may be possible to complete, but the things you learn there are very transient and do not last very long, if at all. true, lots of things were written by people who left early, but what about the things written by graduates? what do you have to say about that? you can ask the staff at new leaf, and they will say that many, if not all, of the graduates are doing beautifully.
yes, they lied to you. this is one of many, many more to come.
also, you only talked to staff. and which students? stars? stars who were about to graduate? moons or “late” suns who were doing so well they hadn’t been grounded in months? i thought so. you just got a very, very skewed view of nla. i would like to know this: did you talk to anyone who was unhappy with the program and ask them why? i know that nla probably does not allow this. why? because they only want visitors to hear the good things about nla, not the bad.
what kind of a school hides things from the parents of the students?
a school that has things to hide.
what do they have to hide, you ask? how about the fact that your daughter will be in danger of being beaten by students, bullied, under constant surveillance to the point of taking notes on how they sleep, leered at by certain teachers, lied to, overprotected, pressured and brainwashed? do any of these things sound good to you? because they sure do not sound too great to me.
i am very sorry about your current situation, and i strongly recommend that you find a new program. there are hundreds of other programs- why not check them out?
i am not a troubled teenager. by nla’s standards, i am doing magnificently. if you ask them about a graduate from june ‘08 who was there for 15 months, they will say that i am doing great. so do not say that this was simply a rant posted by a disturbed teenage girl, because that would show plain arrogance and denial of the facts right in front of you.
but you probably will end up disregarding this post. which is sad. sad for you, your daughter, and your bank account. why this denial of the facts? is it because i am still a high school student, not even old enough to vote? is it because of my past at an “emotional growth” boarding school? is it because i am a woman? because i am going against what the staff of new leaf say, because i dare to speak out against the school that made such a negative impact on me?
if it is any of these reasons or related to one of these reasons, that is just sick. SICK.
so send your daughter to new leaf. do not blame me if she comes home only to get into sex and drugs and hate you for sending her there. not my problem.
If you’ve commented on this school recently and don’t see your comment in this thread your comment is being held in moderation because I felt it was too inflammatory.
This comment thread is not a place for you to attack other students, teachers, or parents who have commented in the thread.
Please be careful when you comment here and be respectful of others, whether you like them or not. Mostly, be respectful of me; this is my weblog and I’d like it to be a useful place for parents and students, not a place to attack others.
Have a great holiday.
Richard,
Thank you for sharing your opinion and saying how this affects you.
On this blog, everyone is right. I know some of the students on this blog and some were sharing honest opinions, some were being fake and trying to make this place out as perfect, and some were just being mean.
The thing is, all are perfect examples of what happens to you there at NLA. It is a safe haven, but more like a hospital ward rather than the “Garden of Eden.” It is not a place anyone would want to be or feel great being there, but if you are there it means you do have a problem and you need to recognize it.
Parents who comment on this blog, I do not think that you have any place to comment on what another student has said because you have never truly experienced what they have experienced. You get your information from the exact people who the students claim to be irresponsible liars. So we are at a loss, are we not?
Parents let me remind you, the people who work with ASPEN education sometimes just need a job and want to make money. They do it with a smile for you to see. Although, why would they pick the profession if they did not like what they did.
Everyone loves a good debate to contradict another trying to argue that their opinion is fact, when in the end it is only two opinions. It can come to nothing.
I could share my views on NLA since I was a student there for a little over a year.
I hated it at the beginning. I never thought I could loathe a place more. They limited what I wore, took away my things, grounded me for something that did not even happen. We had to clean house while the staff sat around and ate cake that we may or may not have been able to eat at dinner. I was put on a diet because they told me that I weighed too much, I had went in there as a 90 lb girl who danced and was in great shape. They fed me their putrid food and I had become a 134 lb girl in 8 months. I remember having to ladle out oil from a hash brown casserole because it was “too” unhealthy to serve. I remember being crowded into a room while one of the girls was going on her riots. They decided they did not want to move us anymore so they let her just riot in the room as the upstairs. I remember shaking with anger rather than any other emotion. This girl was spitting into the faces of my friends and spraying chemicals into their eyes and I could not do anything. If I did anything then I would be the one who was punished. So thus, I laughed and took the water bottle from her hands that she was spitting at people with and threw it across the room. I did not say a word, I only looked at the staff with a scrutinizing stare that said, “this is what you should have done. You should have taken away her ‘weapons’ and held onto it.”
(The truth to that dilemma is that we are only humans. The staff were either afraid, too lazy, or confused. So acting on their own human/animal instinct, they did nothing and bent their tail between their legs and watched the students that they are supposed to protect get soaked with a little eleven year old girls saliva. How appalling, is it not.)
However this girl was sent to another place other than NLA, and lo and behold, she did phenomenal.
Back to my metaphor of “the psych ward and the garden of eden.”
If you are at a psych ward there is a reason for you being there. Although the humility of NLA is lacking, they do do their job when it comes to therapy. But, their lack of humility can get in the way because sometimes the counselors do not even get to you until it is too late, but when they do talk to you, you can really get somewhere.
This might seem out there but I have a point. I was reading a book in one of my classes and it is called “Perks To Being A Wallflower.” It is about a young man named Charlie who is indeed a wallflower. He is always the guy that people talk to because he always listens. Now here is my point. Girls that go to NLA are usually implosive or explosive characters, all these behaviors share one thing in common. They need a more healthy way to express themselves. They need someone who has nothing to do with them to just listen and give feedback. You can get this at NLA, although some counselors help more than others and some counselors put their personal opinions rather than their, professional opinions out. But once again, that is people. They hear something appalling to them and they will more than likely say something against it.
I know I am jumping around alot but in the end, if you are smart, and you listen to me rather than the revenge on NLA teens, and the fake ex-students, and the parents who have never experienced it before then you are golden and here is my ending advice/opinion since I can hardly call myself a professional just yet:
NLA was the worst experience of my life that helped me alot. Send your kid there if you want her to suffer through it and come out a decent kid for about 2-3 months and then go back to their original patterns only this time they will be guilt ridden. Or don’t send them and never let your kid have that wake up call that said that they are doing something wrong.
One more thing, I lost most human emotion since I went to NLA that is why I am just a bitter but analyzing and probably the best opinion and advice you will get on here. I do not flame and I do not care whether you send your kids off to the heaven that is surrounded by barbed wire and a chain linked fence. I do not care, but this is all to interesting for me. Most parents think that NLA is the best place that happened to their kids. Most people I know think that NLA is hell on earth. Excuse my language. This blog is all about opinion, so let’s play nice, people.
I completed the program.
I struggled at first then really got into it.
and graduated a role model, with new insights.
but i ALWAYS felt New Leaf was wrong in MANY things they were doing.
The cleanliness WAS awful.
The food was unhealthy.
The way they treated us and the rules thy laid out were ridiculous.
And you wouldn’t understand if you didn’t attend.
our day to day lives were MUCH different than the administrators say.
So don’t be so “disgusted” by us “troubled girls”
We experienced it. We know.
what these girls are say is the reality. Don’t fool yourself.
Everyone who wants to make money is going to sugar coat their product.
They’re just good sales people.
i agree with kristele completely.
new leaf didnt prepare me for the real world at all. it provided this very small exclusive environment with all of the same types of girls and when i went into the real world i was lost. i didnt know what to do and at first i couldnt make any friends. i wasnt prepared for the bullying that had such an effect on me i almost was sent to SUWS.
at new leaf they pretended that serious matters didnt exist and when faced with them in real life i wasnt prepared.
and in a way i was much more corrupted when i came out of new leaf then when i went in
I agree with both hannah and kristele…
i mean my life is worse in more ways than it is better
plus now I can never eat multiple foods ever again because of those meals
they acted like celebrities and bullies and real life didn’t exist so when you got out… it was no good aster the first 4-5 months
I know after I completed the program in 2007
I came out and almost immediately developed more problems
Greetings!
I was in the last NLANC graduation.
The place helped me a lot, I made great friends.
It was the most UNENJOYABLE two years of my life.
It is not the best living conditions.
Only send your child there if you REALLY feel like they need it, and your child may or may not forgive you.
What are the alternatives? I have a ten year old daughter but do not find many options for that age range.
I agree with Hannah and Frances.
The only thing I developed out of New Leaf was to calm down a little bit more and have some more self control and respect. I also am glad I met a lot of the girls I did met there. Well like 5.
But seriously, I think that program should be for girls from ages 9-12.
I am considering sending my daughter there. What is the biggest reason people go? Would you say most people are there for LD or depression? I’m just trying to get an idea of the school.
ana,
dont send ur ten year old to nla… i like nla and i think it’s a good skool, but 10 is just way too young. when i was @ nla, a couple ten yr olds came to nla and they eventually had to leave… at nla u have to write petitions or requests to get a privilage or to the next level.. 10 year olds have a hard time doing that. u also have to talk alot about ur feelings and wats deep inside which can confuse a ten year old… much of the girls are older and are impatient so if ur daughter is hyper active, the others might be intolerant with her and disrespect and would feel more power b/c she is younger so she might be ganged up on… other wise, nla is a good skool for 12 to 14 yr olds… ur farther ahead in ur education and ur hanging with pple ur age. plus, being ten and going to nla would scare her much more than an older girl… the consolers are patient but the girls arent so i would fear bullying or ur daughter not being the most liked. im not saying that she’s not likable, but this is wat i saw when, on the rare occasion, a ten or eleven yr old comes in. they eventually had to leave or they had a huge rebellion and fit that made them leave… try a day school thats small and specailizes in these kinda things and then send her to a boarding skool when she’s older if the day school isnt enough… take a tour of nla b4 u make ur descision and notice how all the other girls are older… the girls who give you the tour are good examples of girls doing well but there are girls who arent… the majority and havent gotten to the point to where they will actually give effort to change.
Sarah,
The best things is to call their number at their website and talk to them about your daughter’s issues and they are really great at determining if this program is right for your daughter…..
I think they deal with both depression and LD….most people with LD have other issues that affect their lives…..
My daughter is there and doesn’t have LD, but has ADHD and other issues……which has greatly affected our home life…..
Please call New Leaf and ask your questions…..don’t go by this blog!
New Parent: While many of the comments here are inflammatory, immature, and poorly written, they are from girls who have or are attending this school and as such have credibility. I’m glad these girls are posting here and I’ll continue to give them an outlet as long as they use it respectfully. It’s up to parents and others to look at all the information and evaluate it.
While some of the posts in this comment thread are less than credible, the slick advertising materials the school puts out might not jive with the reality of the place either.
Be careful when you say “don’t go by this blog!” because your comment is being hosted by me at this blog as well as the contact information of the school. What you might have meant to say was don’t use the comments here as your only source for information about the school. If that’s what you meant, I agree with you.
Yes Richard….that is exactly what I meant!
hey richard!
um how did u even come up with this subject to blog? do u have connections with nla? just curious…
Curious: Did you read the About page of this web site? Check it out, you’ll find the answer to your question and more there. Tip, there’s a link to it in the header.
thanks so much
i graduated in new leaf june 2008. the program did help me a little with learning tools to control my anger, but overall i didn’t grow that much. when i got there in 2006 there were girls with more intense issues, but now its more for girls with hygiene issues. the rules were really strict and the consequences for small mistakes were extremely harsh. i thought it was hard to build a better relationship with my family when i could barely even communicate with them! also they should have taught us more tools to use in the “real world” instead of teaching us how to mop floors. my friendships were the only valuable thing i got out of that program. and i totally agree with frances! i can’t eat, smell, or look at eggs after eggloaf. also, jamie is also right about the whole parent forgiveness thing. it took me a while to forgive my mom after she sent me to that jail.
Everyone posting here needs to listen to this show. It will be available online to listen to by 3 pm today.
OnPoint: Cyber Harassment and the Law
ok… so i went to nla, for a long while. a very long while. i went through all three levels and graduated. i graduated 30 pounds lighter, my face clear, and with a bunch of girls who r missing me (due to letters i get). i got into a great school that i would have not gotten into b4 and am learning at a higher level than the majority of highschool students. I have healthy friends and a boyfriend whom i love very much. I have maintained a happy and appropriate relationship with him, whereas i wouldnt have b4 nla. i have been grounded twice b/c im not perfect and i make mistakes. ive lied to my parents and have been caught and punished, but i dont lie to my rents any where close to the number of lies i used to give. i learned how to deal with drama queens cuz no one in my regular school is as dramatic as a nla girl. i can just brush them off my shoulder. im just stating facts. yes, there are aspects at nla that i truely do not agree with or enjoy, but pple need to get over that life can not be perfect. life is not fair and life is definately not kind. the living conditions were very maintainable and yes, there are unhygenic girls there but that is something u have to get over cuz it’s not gonna kill you that u have to live in a house that is has a smell which isnt gonna make u puke. toughen up. stop complaining and get used to dissapointments in life b/c u messed up like i did and now u have to face the consequences. im sorry if i offend any one at all. this is just my own opinion
I have not corresponded with a single graduate of any of the New Leaf Academy schools who has NOT been deeply traumatized by their experience at this Academy. Between the irrevocable distruction of the parent/child relationship and the trauma done to the natural emotional growth of girls and young ladies, most of these girls are in intense therepy and seek drugs and alcohol as refuge.
um yes i agree with graduate completely.
Well New Leaf is good for people who are socially…deficient and such.
I was 98 pounds and five feet tall when I went there I needed to gain weight right? And I did. I gained over twenty pounds in four months and got some serious stretchmarkage. It wasnt my fault either. I ate because thats what you are supposed to do, and it was seriously one of the only things to look foward to. I got ecstatic about tuna casserole or burritos, and Im no fatty, many other people were excited about that too. Anyway I left and I was so damn fat it was dsgusting. All because I ate their food because that was the rules. And I talked to my counselors about it, but all they did was tell me to excersize. Yknow with all the fun and wonderful exciersizing that goes on around there. Yeah. Right.
So when I got out in the real world, I was a chubby at 138lbs and barely five foot two. Fabulous. Also, I was like super shy and expected everyone to be welcoming and nice and stuff, because thats what I was used to. And that year at school in the real world I did really bad academically and emotionally. I started pulling out my hair. Many other awkward and unnerving events happened to me there:
I got spat on. twice.
Exposed to some intense lesbian activity. Like…too much for my fancy.
FREAKING SALAD BAR! made me sick, physically ill. just the smell.
I felt watched all the time, and, i think most would agree, too much pressure was put on you to be perfect. whatfuckingever. perfect my ass. that place is hell in a mansion.
got sent to “time out” for sitting on an arm of a couch.
twice sent to “time out” for 45 mins. twice.
As a positive result of this, Im more mature. and also I can tolerate normally untolerable things.
thank you new leaf.
My sister went to NLA for a year and a half, and graduated. she was one of the girls who was really just acting like a regular teen and our parents over reacted. This experiance changed her, as well as me, but not for the better. When my sister returned, hadn’t changed the way she treated my parents. On the contrary, she got worse. Before, they would talk sometimes, but now every word they exchange in dripping with venome. As for me, for a while after she left I would cry myself to sleep, scared they would send me there too. Now that she’s back, i still don’t fully trust my parents. In fact, the way they treeted my sister had distroid my relationship with my dad. If you value your relationship, with the child and other members of your family, you wont send yout kid there.
Haley, as well as many other people on this site, have commented on the poor conditions. When i first saw the outside of new leaf on a visit, i thought it was amazing. that was untill i steped inside. The rooms are disgusting, i needed to go to the bathroom but dicided to hold it after one look at the bathrooms, and most of the kids there are unhappy.
In other words, this is a terible inviorment, especialy for 10-12 year olds. THere are bad influences everywere, from other girls as well as staff. My sister was called a female dog (I’ll sensor my language for the sight) and many other worse names by STAFF! not all the girls were bad though.
This school is teriable. Don’t kill your family by making this mistake. It is not something that will heal. Ever.
in reading this blog i have found a frightening trend. THe adults seem to be trusting the WEBSITE WRITTEN BY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING THE PROFIT, rather than the girls who have been there. from my experiences with NLA, i am inclined to believe the girls who are saying that it’s not a great place. Sure, some girls seem to get better, but many of them are fakers. Don’t fall for the scam.
The girls who fake the program are just going to fake any other program…. so why not use at least the most affective and knowlegdable school there is. There are schools much much worse than NLA. Some boarding schools are physically threatening to the students to put them “into shape”. Some schools dont teach academics at all and they are mixed gendered (setting the students up for even more drama). Some just give lecture after lecture…. NOT AFFECTIVE…. NLA has an organized unviolent or monotonous plan to help these girls. The only thing that these girls are fakes… they have almost no moral when it comes to them getting what they want and will do anything to get out and continue their disruptive patterns… just think about how everyone is complaining about NLA and then think about the other schools that are so much worse.
my point wasn’t the fakers, so if you would please stop dwelling on that. My point was that you should listen the the girls who went there, and not tune them out. I’m sorry if you decided to only focus on my last few sentences, but in doing so you have made yourself look stupid. i would recommend reading the entire comment to avoid that effect.
I graduated form New Leaf Academy in Bend, OR..from the original Green Ridge Campus (which is no longer running) on December 14th, 2006. I am now 18, and succeeding.. I am going to college in the fall. I attended two programs after new leaf to continue working on my childhood traumas. Many of the girls I lived with for the three years I was at NLA, are not leading happy healthy live, and have made a turn for the worst, and continuing the same behaviors they had before entering programs..whether it be a wilderness programs, a emotional growth boarding school, a lockdown, or a Residential Treatment Center (RTC)…Be aware, some girls are very good at faking their way through the program, and they leave with everybody thinking…”wow” “look at the person they have become…” and that is totally not true..but I do not want to discount those girls who earned their right to graduate, and worked through things to better themselves, their families, and their relationships. I hated my 3 year stay at NLA, but after it was over I felt relieved. After some serious thinking (after leaving) and it took awhile, i realized that nothing that they did helped me..Meaning the cleaning, cooking, timeout stools, no-desserts, consequences, etc.. at one point i had 300 consequences. That is 30 minutes of works times 300. I had about 60 no-desserts because my body could not handle the food. In my biological family, there was never a reliable source of food, and my body could not tolerate much. They made me sit at a white desk to the side of the kitchen and eat. Sometimes, well, most day, I would throw up. NOt on purpose, but because my body could not handle that much food or the type of food. I had many doctor visits because of this. In Sept. ‘04, I was taken to the local ER, and admitted because i was throwing up. I had to have a IV, and I was miserable. THis happened many times.
My point with all of this rambling is that the way that some of the staff and counslers took care of their girls was unacceptable. Others, were very sincere and caring. and They counsequence everybody based on EVERYBODY’S behavoirs instead of a indivdiualized program. This did change some over my stay. I guess this is some sort of milieu therapy, but when i was there i was so nieve that i did not understand. Most of this could have changed since I have been there, and I hope it has.