Troubled Teens Resources

Tipton Academy is located in Tipton Kansas; it was opened in spring of 2005.
Tipton is unique from many other schools in that it operates on principles of a Positive Peer culture. This means that the boys are given a lot of freedom as they move through the program. Troubled Teen boarding schools have come under fire in recent years because of abuse that has happened at a few schools. Tipton has worked hard to see that students are not abused, but given the opportunity to make the changes necessary in their lives. Mike McClendon is the Program Director at Tipton Academy he has 10 years of experience working with troubled boys. His experience has been the catalyst of success for Tipton. His sincere love for the boys and determination to see them succeed is at the core of the Tipton Academy success.

Tipton’s remote location also adds to the entire experience of the boys. The country lifestyle and honest work ethics from the people of Tipton are an example to the boys in the Academy. The Tipton Community fought to keep their own middle high and elementary school’s in town. As a community they built an elementary school in 30 days with volunteer help and donated funds. Tipton is truly a remarkable town and Tipton Academy feels fortunate to be located amongst such great Americans.

Tipton Academy is unique in that it has a dog training program for the boys which allow them to assist in training dogs to assist the handicapped. They work in conjunction with CARES a non profit organization in Kansas. CARES provides dogs to people with special needs. The boys are also able to present the dogs to their new owners. This is an emotional event when the boys present something they have become attached to; to another person is a life changing event. The person in need is very appreciative and new owner and old trainer share a very positive experience.

Tipton Academy also offers the boys opportunities to work while they are enrolled. Tipton is home to some of the finest bird farms in the area. Many people come to Tipton each year to hunt pheasants and other game birds. This industry gives the Tipton Academy boy’s opportunities to work in the game bird industry when they invoke enough trust from the program staff.

Tipton Academy has truly become a positive place for change. Many boys have made drastic improvements in their lives graduating high school and going on to college. Like any school Tipton has also had students that didn’t make the best of their stay at Tipton and some have gone back home and fallen back into their old ways. Overall Tipton is an effective option and positively affected the lives of many young men.

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder certainly seems a precursor for teen age drug abuse and out-of-control behavior when handled incorrectly or left undiagnosed. The likelihood of a troubled teen falling more into a negative and resentful mind frame as a result of ADD related poor school performance and erratic behavior is almost certain unless interventions are introduced.

Such an intervention worked wonders for one ADD teen.

“Like other high school graduates, Isaac Castleberry feels a little uncertain about his future. But not so long ago, the future seemed even darker. A lifetime of struggling with attention-deficit disorder and a learning disability in reading had left the teenager and his parents, Charlotte and Frank Castleberry of Gainesville, frustrated and searching for answers.

School simply didn’t work.

“My son was putting in time,” said his mother.

Graduation with a B average seemed improbable at one time.

But Isaac, now 18, has accomplished just that through Success Oriented Achievement Realized, or SOAR, a North Carolina-based “high-adventure program” for students and adults with learning disabilities and attention-deficit disorder or attention-deficit hyperactive disorder.

“Looking back, if I could have (gone to the school) my whole life, I would have,” Isaac said.”
(Source)

It is an all too common example where public schools, for all their best efforts, failed to work effectively. Be it a troubled teen boarding school with programs similar to SOAR, or summer brat camps or a military boarding school, parents often find the most effective therapies and behavioral programs outside the mainstream public school system.