No, it was Isaish who warned kids to run if they thought they were going to be sent to a program.
Frank expressed, and appeared to prefer solo because he 'didn't have to be around the others'.
***He is home now and awaiting a juvenile court date. His mother, Virginia Alarcon, declined to allow him to speak with the newspaper. She told the Sun-Star last week that his behavior had improved since he returned from the wilderness school.****
Might his behavior have improved toward his mother in order to keep himself out of a return visit to sagewalk or some other program prison- TBS?
BM is HIGHLY effective in teaching kids how to hide the 'undesirable' behavior, how to be more covert with their 'undesirable' activites.
***Brat Camps Web site describes the boy as an,angry punk rocker who smokes, drinks and has an obsession with fire.***
What I've noticed to date is that the staff are working with the kids who are easier to intimidate and manipulate. Not much pushing on Isaiah and Frank. I assume because they are afraid of these boys anger and don't really have the tools to deal with it. The staff are just tip toeing around these guys, but proclaiming that they both are having momumental 'breakthroughs'.
Isaiah is the one who cried and said that he could now forgive his mother after reading her letter in which she admitted to the divorce being her fault.
I probably differ on this, but I thought the bow drill exercise was useful. I think their momentary joy of accomplishment was real. It could've been one of the first accomplishments some had experienced. But like an ol time revival, that joy doesn't stick. It's a temporary high and doesn't address the underlying fear, confusion, apathy, anger.
I think he (and the others)needs someone who will take a vested interest in him and guide him- in the real world, not a program or jail. Help him find what makes him passionate. Where he could put his time and attention in a more constructive way. Perhaps he needs some career counseling and a good mentor in his chosen area of interest. Perhaps a trade school instead of public school.
The question that parents and programs fail to ask- what are Isaiah's real needs that aren't being met? How can I assist him in getting those needs met.
NOT, how can a manipulate, trick, punish him out of his current behavior, which is but a manifestation of unmet needs.
Kids who have been largely ignored and backed into a corner are not going to ask someone to care about them. The risk of outright rejection and humiliation is too high.
Isaiah is also the one who told his friends on camera, they better throw him a party when he got out.
He obviously did not 'embrace' the program. He was obviously not 'helped' (by the program's definition). Why did they graduate him? Why didn't sagewalk keep him until he was 'fixed'?
His leaving would seem to be premature if the goal is to change the behavior.
My experience is that the behavior doesn't change until the thinking and feelings change. It would be incongruent to walk around 'acting' happy while there was a fire storm raging inside.
Forced 'treatment' and punishment (program/jail) are not effective.
