Death at Skyline Journey 13 July 2002

[Deborah]

Mr. Kantar obviously doesn't read the papers, nor does he know the Utah Wilderness Regulations. Honesty.... do as I say, not as I do.
Deborah

http://www.strugglingteens.com/archives ... yline.html

Visit in April, 2003 By Robert Kantar, Educational Consultant, Lyndonville, Vermont

excerpts:
To visit the students in the program, we headed out into the desert by truck, traveling on flatland for almost 100 miles, with only one small town between Nephi and the students.

We intercepted staff traveling back and forth to support the students in the field, obviously being very conscientious about the safety of each child. At no time did I sense a troubled program or a lack of commitment. This program has incorporated many years of experience to consistently improve the safety of its students, devoting tremendous energy to staff training and support services that are focused upon improving the student?s well-being.

Most felt comfortable that they were being cared for and were working hard emotionally and physically, although they were looking forward to returning to civilization. They seemed to like their staff leaders, whom I found to be appropriately caring and well trained.

This is a program for students who need time to sort things out. It conveys to them a sense of bounty even in the desert, but helps them to realize that prosperity depends on being honest, working as a team and learning to counteract their self destructive behavior and addictive thinking, and to develop anger management.

After six weeks at Skyline, my client was tested by a doctorate level clinical psychologist who wrote an extensive report. The report was well documented and included student and family history, a review of records, an intensive interview with the student and a full battery of tests directed at intellectual ability and achievement, as well as personality and emotional issues. I was able to review the report in detail with my client and she validated its content with considerable insight. Clearly this report was at the professional level of the work done here in northern New England with my clinical colleagues.

I think Skyline is an excellent resource for a young person who can respond to kindness and encouragement. I think the program is well conceived, well staffed and demonstrates a high level of safety and honest concern for the students they serve.



[ This Message was edited by: Deborah on 2003-10-25 07:57 ]

[Deborah]

The discussion of Kanter continued at:
http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?to ... &forum=9&2

[ This Message was edited by: Deborah on 2004-06-05 21:16 ]

[Deborah]

Entire Article at:
http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?to ... &forum=9&0

Excerpts:
In a ruling released Friday, a state administrative judge revoked the operating license of Skyline Journey over the July 13, 2002, death of Ian August, a 14-year-old Texas boy enrolled in the program by his adoptive mother. The Nephi-based business has until next Friday to shut down and send an estimated 10 campers back to their homes.

Ruling on just one of four operating violations alleged by the state during a series of hearings earlier this summer, the judge found that Skyline failed to provide a description of the environment and demands of the program on a form sent to a Texas doctor who cleared August to enroll.

Ken Stettler, the director of the state Office of Licensing, which regulates wilderness therapy programs in Utah (there are five others now operating), said Harding's ruling is "what we expected."
"I'm never pleased to see a program lose its license and operators losing their livelihood," he added.
[Scumbag. How about, "I'm never please to see the death of a young person, particularly when the death could've been prevented with common f-in sense.]

State law requires wilderness programs to obtain a license prior to starting operations. That provision would prevent the Wardles from starting another program in Utah under a new name, Stettler said. But there is nothing to prevent them from starting a program in another state.
[Oregon? Idaho? Nevada? Montana? Where do you think they might show up next?..provided of course they don't appeal again and win. Any program allies at the Dist level?]

[Antigen]

On 2003-10-25 07:51:00, Deborah wrote:

State law requires wilderness programs to obtain a license prior to starting operations. That provision would prevent the Wardles from starting another program in Utah under a new name, Stettler said. But there is nothing to prevent them from starting a program in another state.

[Oregon? Idaho? Nevada? Montana? Where do you think they might show up next?..provided of course they don't appeal again and win. Any program allies at the Dist level?]

So long as there is a demand, someone will meet it with supply. How do we kill the demand?

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.
-- Margaret Mead

[Anonymous]

Ginger Writes:

So long as there is a demand, someone will meet it with supply. How do we kill the demand?

-------------------------------------------------

Hi Ginger - Great Question!  A good place to start is with program admissions reps and independent referral agents trolling the Internet 24/7/365 for "sales leads". See link below:

http://www.bridgetounderstanding.com/cg ... i?read=448

[Anonymous]

Ginger - I forgot to point out that it's been 15 months since Ian August was killed.  During this time, the program has continued to operate, most likely accepting kids referred by ed cons and independent referral agents.  Of the remaining 10 kids, it would be interesting to see if any of them were "referred" and if so, by whom.  It would also be interesting to see how many of these kids are "re-referred" into another program after Skyline closes its doors.

 :eek:

[Antigen]

Skyline Journey is part of The PURE Foundation that helps families find healthy and safe programs.

May you all have a very Blessed and Safe Holiday Season!

Sue Scheff
The PURE Foundation
http://www.HelpYourTeens.com

Full Text: http://www.bridgetounderstanding.com/cg ... i?read=460

Used without permission or apology. Tom, check out "reasonable use".

...the people have a right to keep and bear arms.
-- Patrick Henry and George Mason Debates

[Anonymous]

On 2003-10-25 12:11:00, Antigen wrote:

"

Skyline Journey is part of The PURE Foundation that helps families find healthy and safe programs.



May you all have a very Blessed and Safe Holiday Season!



Sue Scheff

The PURE Foundation

http://www.HelpYourTeens.com



Full Text: http://www.bridgetounderstanding.com/cg ... i?read=460

Used without permission or apology. Tom, check out "reasonable use".

...the people have a right to keep and bear arms.
-- Patrick Henry and George Mason Debates

"

FYI: It appears Skyline Journey was established in May, 2001.  Ian August died in July 2002.
------------------------------------------------
Woodbury Reports: New Perspectives - May, 2001 Issue #81

Skyline Journey
Nephi, Utah
A. Lee Wardle, CEO
(866) 822-8336

Skyline Journey is a newly established, fully licensed, therapeutic, educational and experiential outdoor program that ?puts teens in touch with their potential.? Designed for teens ranging from 13-18 years of age, their ?main objective is to individually maximize personal growth and understanding while developing social awareness and interpersonal relationships.? Skyline Journey strives to ?help each individual participant realize that he or she is a valuable, lovable person with unique attributes.? Each will be ?helped to increase personal responsibility and integrity, self-reliance, internal motivation, communication skills, academic skills and improve family relationships and social responsibilities.?

The program offers a curriculum in an outdoor-camp setting that can range from 28 to 60-days, depending on the progress of the student and the needs of both the student and parents. Each group is organized into nine teens with 3 to 1 staff ratio and a treatment team consisting of a Clinical Director, Field Director and Field Therapist. The treatment focuses on both emotional and behavioral disorders including chemical dependency, impulse control disorders, depression, ADD, and other behavioral disorders.

Upon entering Skyline Journey, an individualized treatment plan is developed by assessing intellectual, academic and psychological functioning. It ?is not a forced deprivation program. We differ from most other programs in that we provide for all of the individual?s needs at the start. This way we begin with a more receptive, less hostile individual. As the individual learns to cope with his or her life choices, along with survival of the outdoors, worldly conveniences gradually become easier to give up.?

The academic program focuses on social, emotional and outdoor skills, and is rooted in the latest educational research, which consists of a ?Rites of Passage? curriculum. Progress is monitored by state certified staff as each teen completes a series of Social Science, English-literature, General Science, and Physical Education units, all while simultaneously maintaining a personal journal. Skyline Journey will administer academic credit, and if motivated, students may earn additional credits.

A therapist will be assigned to work with the student for the duration of the student?s enrollment in the program, with a minimum of therapy sessions once a week. In addition, the therapist will work closely with field staff in order to maximize the field staff interaction with the student.

All of Skyline Journey?s staff are highly trained and qualified, and in-service training is ongoing. An extensive background check is conducted on each employee with annual updates to ensure student safety. Skyline maintains daily logs on each student regarding field activities as well as therapeutic interviews. It is licensed by the State of Utah.

The program offers ?open enrollment, same gender psychologists, a challenging curriculum, no locks or alarms, and 24 hour contact. The menu program meets or exceeds the recommended daily allowance established by the National Research Council?National Academy of Sciences. A 3000+ calorie, nutritional diet will be provided each day, along with (1) daily multivitamin.

The Owens and Wardle Family own and manage Skyline Journey. Owners Austin Lee and Alberta have been married for forty-nine years, with four children and seventeen grandchildren. All off their children are involved in Skyline Journey with them. Austin Lee Wardel was raised on the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in Eastern Utah. He was Chief of Police for the Ute Indian Tribe for 6 ½ years, Criminal Investigator for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for 30 years, the last sixteen years of which he was stationed on the Northern Idaho Agency at Lapwai, Idaho, being responsible for law and order on four reservations. During his career he received several awards for developing youth programs on the reservations that helped prevent juvenile delinquency. Other staff members include his son who has had eleven years in outdoor programs, an athletic director and certified teacher at a Utah high school, a medical doctor, a registered nurse experienced with therapeutic youth programs, and other family members.

To graduate, the student must reach the designated ?summit? level, at which time the parents are invited and expected to attend a ?Summit Celebration.? Skyline Journey is ?dedicated to assist the teen to eventually return home to their families and communities where they can attain the measure of success in life that they desire.?

Author Attribution:  Lee Wardle


This article copyright © 1999-2001, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced without prior approval if the copyright notice and proper publication and author attribution accompanies the copy.)  
 
Site and content copyright © 1999-2001 by Woodbury Reports Inc. All rights reserved.

[Deborah]

Other links at Fornits re: Skyline Journey

http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.ph ... 10&forum=9
http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.ph ... 13&forum=9
http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.ph ... 20&forum=9
http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.ph ... 17&forum=9
http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.ph ... 42&forum=9
http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.ph ... 02&forum=9
http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.ph ... 91&forum=9
http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.ph ... 58&forum=9
http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.ph ... 99&forum=9

[Anonymous]

My son Brian is at elan right now. He went to Skyline Journey about 2  months after Ian August died. My husband and I spent the final night camping with our son.  The councilers were great! Ian was a difficult kid that complained and refused to hike every day. I'm sure his weight had a great deal to do with this. I am very sorry for his mother's loss. Even she had forgiven them because she knew how difficult he was which is what landed him there in the first place. My son loved this program and will carry the positive experiences for the rest of his life. Kids die. As sad as it sounds, it is a fact of life. The people at Skyline Journey are not killers. They had an untimely unfortunate death that they will live with for the rest of their lives. The reason they(the kids) wanted to keep hiking is because the used a GRS to locate their next camp where the would find fresh water,fruit and food. Try not to judge, they are good people. Cindy Tamsin, Connecticut

[Anonymous]

No need to judge, Cindy. An administrative judge in Utah found Skyline Journey to be in violation of one of the most important LICENSING rules governing the outdoor behavioral healthcare industry in Utah and rightfully so, revoked Skyline Journey's license.  You really should be ashamed of yourself for defending a program at the expense of a young boy who CAN NOT DEFEND himself against your obvious biased opinion.

 :flame:

[Anonymous]

Like the sheriff, said, why did SJ wait to call for asssistance *AFTER* Ian was already in cardiac arrest?? Second, what were these kids doing going on a hike on a day of record temperatures?  Second, given Ian's weight, the medication he was taking, etc. it appears this placement was ill-advised from the get-go. Trying to shift the blame solely on Ian is disgusting and totally baseless.

[Deborah]

So Cindy,
You just googled Skyline tonight and found this forum? Your son attended Skyline two months after the fact and suddenly you're an expert on Ian? You don't have the facts or you are choosing to ignore them or spin them to suit your deluded fantasy.

For your information, Ian wanted to finish the death march. He walked until his body could carry him no further, literally. They left him sitting in the sun for an hour while he slowly died, and lied about it in the initial reports. While he's sitting in the sun baking to death, the other counselor was hiding behind a bush to try to determine if he was faking. The EMT disregarded her medical training and defered to Skyline's lame ass method of "flushing out fakers". On the hottest F-in day of the year, she had no supplies to treat heat exhaustion! Did you hear that? On the hottest day of the year, on a death march in the mountains, the EMT had no supplies to treat heat exhaustion. And had a kid with her that was overweight and over-medicated who sweated when he wasn't exerting himself, when he was walking around in his air conditioned school. She had to share her water with Ian when he 'requested' water, as did others, because HE HAD NONE.

As for his complaining about hiking- the public is privy to that because his diary and counselor's notes were made public. We don't have the benefit of viewing all the other wilderness participants journals/notes. I have no doubt that Ian wasn't the first and won't be the last to complain or be "difficult".

His mother forgave them because she's an airy-fairy new-ager who believes it was his KARMA to die. I only hope that she, Wardle, Hale, the licensing director, and judge receive their KARMA- preferably in this lifetime. Wardle and Hale most assuredly could have prevented Ian's death. If he were my son, they'd be defending themselves against a wrongful death suit- not running another program for young adults.

Kids die. Get a grip lady. Surely you're not suggesting that because Ian was "difficult" he somehow deserved to die, or that his death should be excused or is in anyway justified? Are you? When a kid is on a forced march, has no water in 100* temperature, is showing all the the classic symptoms of heat exhaustion, when help isn't called until he is in cardiac arrest, that's no untimely unfortunate death (accident?)  It's murder in my book. They should have to live with that memory for the rest of this lives, several lives. They should have to recount the horrid truth day-after-day in training classes for wanna-be wilderness counselors, as an example of 'what NOT to do'.

There were other options that day. The most obvious to anyone with brain cells firing- one counselor could have stayed with Ian while the other two went ahead. Then one of the counselors could've returned with water. Perhaps Ian would've been cooled down enough by then to finish the march.
They could've erred on the side of caution. Just in case HE WASN'T FAKING, for god's sake. And if he was, make him walk 5 extra miles the next day, or dig the latrine at the next site.

Don't judge? Good people? Click the links above and read some more. Pay close attention to the lengthy post I made detailing Skyline's 20 some odd violations of regulations that day. Good people don't make that many mistakes, nor do they subject kids to what Ian endured. That would be a good actor- aka CON. They experienced the ramifications of a major fuck up. Unfortunately, they lost nothing but an abusive program that should've been shut down long before.

If you too subscribe to the 'karma' excuse, contemplate this one. Perhaps it wasn't Ian's "karma" to die at all, but rather he chose to go out as a guardian angel, a christ, who died to save many more teens from enduring abuse and possible death at Skyline Journey. I choose to see him in that light, rather than a 'victim' of karma, with the underlying tone that he somehow deserved it. He was a confused, hurt, angry, overweight, over medicted young man trying to make his way through a screwed up world. Give him some slack. He wasn't 'difficult' to annoy people. He needed help, not to be sent on a death march. I'm sure he's looking down and forgiving you and all the others imbeciles. I'm not there yet. And I resent your insensitive comments.

Skyline, Elan? You picked some winners.  :roll:  Been over to the Elan forum here at Fornits yet? They'd have a good time with you.

[Deborah]

http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?to ... t=30#66952

So I sought employment at a locally-owned family company that had just opened called Skyline Journey. Philosophically it seemed more in line (based on literature, internet, and phone discussion) with principles of freedom and individuality. Probably so on paper. I worked for two months (four shifts) and decided the place was unsafe for both students and staff. I'm sure that the people involved were nice in their own right (some of them) but the unchecked power went to other's heads. Standards changed from week to week, there was inadequate training, little feedback or accountability. I was put out as head staff with no training my first week and faced some very vicious competition from younger staff who felt more qualified. I was undermined by them and the office. My allies in the office who sought some consistency with field standards were fired shortly after vI quit. Of course, the program was shut down sometime later due to a death. Perhaps they should have been shut down sooner by my whistleblowing. I was such an emotional wreck after the experience, however, that I did not trust anyone fully and to try to write down my experiences would bring me to a shutdown.

My final week I was told that two kids had been taken down. A staff just lost a finger to a falling rock, some of us suspected it was during forbidden rock climbing. I requested defensive training, and was told not to fear because a new head staff was coming in, trained at Aspen. They pulled him after a few days, however. Some of the boys hated a new student, got him in trouble with the other staff. The students were going to keep him from eating, but I physically removed one of the student's legs from on top of the food bin to get him his food. I was then accused of being abusive. The company guru backed the kids. I spent an uneasy night in the woods with hoods who had given me some veiled threats. that was my last night.

[redtail]

The last message was a quote from me on another thread.  For the sake of objectivity I could also say that there are good people, good staff, in all the programs I have worked at.  I really liked the Owen family at Skyline Journey, for example.  Monty Owen, as a field operations manager or director gave me some clear standards.  Perhaps that's why he and other Owen family members lost their job.  several months after I quit.  (I ran into his parents several months later and they were involved in a lawsuit with the Wardles, with whom they had partnered to form the company.)

Nevertheless, with dedicated staff in any program, some or all of the students will benefit.  Some of our staff at Walkabout came from Skyline Journey and they've benefited the company.  No doubt they made a positive impact on many kids at Skyline Journey.  

It is sometimes hard to be objective with people who you don't think have treated you with due respect.  Mark Wardle is perhaps a good person in many ways, able to communicate with kids and parents.  But he has a BIG blind spot in my experience, and that is a respect for other important aspects of a field operation- training, planning, logistics, and communications and relationships with staff.  Mark's positive outlook on life (seeing the silver lining to most things) is a great asset in motivating kids.  But I cannot help but suspect it had something to do with the unfortunate death of Ian.  

I don't know the full circumstances of the case, am a poor judge.  But if bringers of warning or bad news are ignored or punished, a vital feedback loop in a company dies.