When I sent my son to Narvin's other "school" - the one in Costa Rica - I too was lead to believe there were off campus activities. Nature hikes, deep sea fishing, trips into the town, and so on.
I bought him a pair of hiking boots to take with him as a result.
He never got to wear them - and we never saw them again.
There were no off campus trips of any kind.
In fact, they are not even allowed to look up at the sky, to see a passing bird.
They are hearded around in straight lines - one right on top of the next - faces down, eyes down - not even allowed to look up or to the right or to the left. For some photos of the lines the teens must maintain - look at Lou Kilzer's Desperate Measures.
http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/des ... rate.shtmlSo you know - Narvin Litchfield owns CSA as well as Pillars of Hope; which was previously called Dundee Ranch Academy.
So - do some research on Dundee Ranch Academy, in Costa Rica.
Know this - on the lower levels (which can last months to years) the students not only are not allowed off campus trips - they are not allowed to have a conversation. They are restricted to silence.
They are allowed no privacy at all.
As your friend has been told - they are not even alowed to speak to their parents. What she has not been told (guessing from my own experaince) is just How Long it will be before they can talk. And even then - it will in no way be a private conversation.