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Mission Mountain School / My experience-please read
« on: April 30, 2005, 08:25:00 PM »
I attended MMS 1995-1997, ages 15- 17. I am almost 24 now. It has been so long since I attended MMS, but I think about it every day. Visiting this web site and reading some of the things people have said struck a nerve with me, gave me a pit in my stomach. Boarding school sucks, it's hard on everyone, both parents and student. Nothing is fun or easy about deciding to send your kid away. I know it was the hardest decision my parents have ever had to make. But, when put in a situation such as a struggling teen, drastic measures are sometimes the only way.
MMS was hard. The hardest two years of my life, but really, does any monumental change ever come easy? I just wanted to shed some positive light on all these negative things I've been reading. There are many "war stories" from boarding school that I could tell. In fact, most of what I read about what goes on there is true. Our life was extremely structured, disciplined and simple. That was hard on all of us, but necessary. No one can go to a school like that, but still maintain destructive behaviors or relationships, and expect positive results. They weren't trying to break us down. They were trying to simplify our lives, to get rid of all the bullshit, so we could find what was most important in us. That doesn't come easy. All the work they had us do was metaphorical for something we were having to deal with in our lives. It wasn't abuse.
There is so much I could say about my experience at MMS. I could go on and on. My life is so completely different from everything I experienced there, good and bad. Certainly, there were things I didn't like, but isn't there supposed to be in a place like that? We weren't sent there for fun or to make friends. We were sent there for help, plain and simple.
As far as the comments about John Mercer, Mike Finn, Colleen Harrington, Deb Fin and Gary-- I love them all. I thank them all. Maybe I didn't particularily like some of them at times, or agree with everything they did or said, but really, what they did there was amazing. They went on a limb for us, worked their asses off for us.
I would love to say more, or answer any specific questions about my time there or what I think about my time there. I think it is really important people get an honest and clear view about MMS. I would love to help. Thanks, Jess
MMS was hard. The hardest two years of my life, but really, does any monumental change ever come easy? I just wanted to shed some positive light on all these negative things I've been reading. There are many "war stories" from boarding school that I could tell. In fact, most of what I read about what goes on there is true. Our life was extremely structured, disciplined and simple. That was hard on all of us, but necessary. No one can go to a school like that, but still maintain destructive behaviors or relationships, and expect positive results. They weren't trying to break us down. They were trying to simplify our lives, to get rid of all the bullshit, so we could find what was most important in us. That doesn't come easy. All the work they had us do was metaphorical for something we were having to deal with in our lives. It wasn't abuse.
There is so much I could say about my experience at MMS. I could go on and on. My life is so completely different from everything I experienced there, good and bad. Certainly, there were things I didn't like, but isn't there supposed to be in a place like that? We weren't sent there for fun or to make friends. We were sent there for help, plain and simple.
As far as the comments about John Mercer, Mike Finn, Colleen Harrington, Deb Fin and Gary-- I love them all. I thank them all. Maybe I didn't particularily like some of them at times, or agree with everything they did or said, but really, what they did there was amazing. They went on a limb for us, worked their asses off for us.
I would love to say more, or answer any specific questions about my time there or what I think about my time there. I think it is really important people get an honest and clear view about MMS. I would love to help. Thanks, Jess