test Bethel Boot Camp & Christian Military School For Struggling Teens

July 03, 2008

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So many Teens today yearn for structure and security in their lives. Often the manner in which they reach out for help is destructive to both themselves and their families. Peer pressure, fashion, fads and other adverse influences can take a teen dreadfully astray. At Bethel the structured and regimented life of discipline, worship, academic and Spiritual learning work together to bring stability and life change.

A large part of the process of change is "un-learning" bad habits, attitudes and routines that have been part of a troubled teen's downward spiral. Standing at attention in formation, drill and other structured activities instill respect for authority, patience and endurance in boys that may have never possessed those traits.

Drill improves the cadet's physical condition as well as conditioning the mind. Marching with a group in cadence makes demands of order, timing and unity of the cadets. They must be "in sync" or the entire formation gets out of step. There are great spiritual and life lessons to be learned as these young men drill.

Physical Training, known affectionately as "PT" is an opportunity for the "couch potato" teen to become physically fit while learning discipline, structure and team response. The PT exercises are designed to get young bodies fit without undue strain. Examples of PT tell the story in photos.

Leadership Model Boys Discipline in a modified Boot Camp Military Format

Discipline with love and compassion along with a strong Spiritual emphasis is the primary emphasis at Bethel Academy. Life as a Teen in our modern society can get out of control. Our firm, structured discipline with genuine concern for the long haul brings about life change in the hearts and minds of our Cadets.

We utilize the military discipline format simply because it teaches conformity to authority, structure and submission.

Discipline is an important if not critical issue at Bethel Academy! The manner in which discipline is administered on a daily basis is monitored and directed with constant oversight by Bethel leadership.

The following bullet points hit the highlights:

All Instructors have background checks to assure they are safe to work with teen boys.

Instructors understand that striking a boy is grounds for immediate dismissal and possible criminal charges. We maintain an in house consultant to train our Drill Instructors and monitor discipline policies. See our Zero Tolerance Policy page for more details.

Issues of serious nature are recorded on a standardized exception form known as a "Norm Violation Report". Our Quality Assurance Manager oversees reporting and participates in the hearing process #4 and #5 below.

Reports generated in the field mentioned in #3 are reviewed in a staff hearing to allow for secondary assessment of infractions.

Depending upon the outcome of the hearing, the cadet involved is given disciplinary duties, cleared of part or all of the charges or given a warning to not do whatever he did again.

Academic Excellence at Bethel Academy

Often, we receive emails or calls from troubled parents. Their child is using alcohol, drugs, and other substances that alter perception. The rebellious behavior and habits, such as drug or alcohol abuse, of these teens often plunges both the child and the parent into a deep depression. Bethel Academy offers true life change for the troubled teen boy as well as relief for the worried parent.

Life at Bethel is that of structure, learning and discipline. We believe here at Bethel that at risk, defiant and often rebellious teens need a structured environment of learning with discipline. This environment rich in learning, both spiritual and academic. Our program offers discipline to interact with other Cadets in a classroom setting. In the case of a boy that could not make it through a week without a stay in detention or a suspension, this environment can make a great difference in solving behavior problems. Structure to be on time for classes, complete assignments. Accountability to the Teachers and Administration of Bethel Academy regarding the completion of their assigned course of study. This is particularly important for those Cadets that suffer from a learning disorder such as ADD or ADHD. Focus is both required and maintained to finish the assignments completely and in a timely manner. These requirements are often a problem for and ignored by at risk and rebellious teens. Ignorance and stupidity plague so many teens because they simply will not submit to parents or guardians and receive instruction. Our program is designed to deal with these unique and desperate needs of those teens at risk and in such great need.

We use the world famous Accelerated Christian Education program as an integral part of our Academics program. Here a student is working on one of his structured lessons known as a "PACE". The PACE format allows subjects to be broken up into manageable units for classroom and self paced work. Self pacing of assignments is so important, since the cadet is accountable for and directly graded in relation to timeliness as well as quality of work.

The PACE materials are broken up in an orderly manner to allow the student to finish concurrent paces for different subjects over a 1 year period. This is one of the many good reasons we recommend all Cadets complete a one year program on campus at Bethel. Paces with Teacher interaction teach both learning skills as well as discipline and respect for authority.

Even though the PACE materials allow flexibility as to the completion time for each unit, we here at Bethel provide qualified teachers to instruct and assist the Cadets as they go through their Paces.

Teachers on duty instructing and assisting assure continued progress as the cadet works toward completion of his studies. Teachers at Bethel instruct and assist the Cadets in timely completion of the Cadets assignments. They further assure discipline for structure and order that at risk, rebellious teens need for their lives to be turned around. They also continuously monitor and record the progress of each Cadet here at Bethel.

Boys are what its all about here at Bethel!

A stay at Bethel is about a change in his normal life routine. Bethel is designed and ordained as a life changing interruption of a former life headed for destruction. In these web pages are pictures of young men with life changes in progress. We would like to look at activities during days at Bethel Academy.

Daily chores are a way of life. Structure, order and responsibility with accountability forges the way for life change. That has been our single mission at Bethel for over 25 years. Even though we have adopted the Leadership Model discipline format we still enforce hygiene, order, respect and honor as a boot camp.

Every day there is structure and definition to life for our boys. They get up at a certain time, have meals and breaks on a schedule and go to bed at certain time every night. Modified Military Discipline in a Leadership Model format assures firm but fair and loving discipline.

They go to school. At school they are in a structured and disciplined environment. The surroundings, teachers and ACE school materials are conducive to learning. We gladly work with children with learning disorders such as ADD and ADHD. We have experience in dealing with the tendency of distration and lack of focus typical of those disorders.

They have meals and other group activities together. They maintain order and structure yet have time to get to know one another and develop friendships.

They maintain a constant sense of change and order. This is so necessary to change a wayward teens life from destructive ways to the Way of success in life.

Regular church attendance three times a week as well as daily devotions are mandatory. This is the significant activity at Bethel that really brings life change.