Literacy
If you can’t read, you can’t succeed. So, when teens come to us reading on extremely low levels – some as far as three grade levels behind their peers – our reading specialist gives them individualized attention. With the on-going support of the Reading Intervention Program at Elk Hill, children on average increase their reading level by one and a half grades each year. When their reading improves, their academic achievements increase and success becomes more of a reality.
Day School
Personalized learning plans, individual attention and professional counseling are all part of Elk Hill’s day school curriculum. At our two locations, Elk Hill Farm (Goochland) and Elk Hill Varina (Henrico), we provide teens struggling in public schools with vocational training and the opportunity to work towards their high school diploma or GED. At the same time, Elk Hill’s trained professionals supply these young people with group, family and individual therapy sessions that help them to overcome their behavior problems and learning disabilities.
Residential Programs
Troubled teens can sometimes prove to be too overwhelming for their families and vice-versa. In cases like these, Elk Hill serves as a sanctuary for young people to rediscover hope and healing. At our four group homes in Richmond, Goochland, Fluvanna, and Charlottesville we serve children in need of academic support and a continuum of care. Our experienced teachers and licensed counseling staff offer a safe and protective environment for troubled children, all the while guiding them in their personal growth.
Education for Employment (EFE)
Landing a job is easier with experience and expertise. So, we help our students explore various career options and develop marketable skills. At our on-campus facilities, teens can learn the basics of carpentry, masonry, food service, janitorial work and landscaping. Moreover, if a student’s interests lie outside of these professions, we connect them to resources and mentors in the community that will help hone their skills. Either way, our EFE students begin to envision a future where hard work pays off and success is within reach.
Community Services
Once there was a day when doctors made house-calls. Elk Hill still does! Not only that, our trained professional staff makes school-calls and provides youth mentoring. Families, social workers and school districts ask us to intervene before things go from bad to worse in a child’s life. So, we do, working with families in their homes and struggling students in their schools. We assist public school students right in the classroom, serving as a stabilizing element to their interactions with classmates and teachers. Moreover, we broaden the experiences of at-risk children by taking them out into the community and helping them to achieve their goals.
Experiential Education
Julius Caesar once said, “Experience is the teacher of all things.” And that is why several weeks of the school year at Elk Hill are dedicated to Experiential Education. During this time, students take part in hands-on projects and off campus field trips that supplement classroom learning. Activities range from volunteering at public service organizations, visiting local museums or historical sites, and outdoor adventure expeditions. The challenges students face through Experiential Ed helps them develop new problem solving skills and teaches them to approach challenging situations with excitement and confidence.
Academic Summer Camps
Elk Hill’s Summer Camps provide elementary students referred to us by the Micah Initiative with a structured environment and some summer fun in the sun. All in all, the program is designed to keep those students lacking in adult supervision and academic stimulation out of harms way and excited about learning during the summer time. Reading, writing and group discussion classes are coupled with therapeutic arts classes, community service projects and field trips, courtesy of our numerous Richmond-area partners.