2006 success stories

Our Success Stories series was created as a wayto communicate with our friends and donors in anefficient, inexpensive format. Each month, we fea-ture one of our programs and the inspiring storyof a child whom the program has helped. To beadded to the Success Stories email list, send youremail address to [email protected].

Bradley came to Eliada almost one year ago,struggling to make the transition to youngadulthood. By his own account, Bradley wasabusive and had episodes of violence with hispeers. His low point came when he wasarrested- his family and friends worried forhis future, and his relationship with his par-ents suffered. Recognizing that his needswere not being met by the public school sys-tem, Bradley was shuffled through a fewother programs before finding his way toEliada. Initially a day treatment student, staffquickly realized that Bradley would be betterserved by residential care.

Slowly but surely, Bradley's behavior began tochange. Incentives like participation in sportsencouraged Bradley to care about reachinghis individual goals and earning privileges. Inhis own words, he began to care about hislife more, and felt supported by the connec-tions he made here at Eliada. He learnedeffective communication, healthy ways to

resolve conflicts, and that every action has aconsequence. Furthermore, he learned thatdetermination, hard work, and perseverancewill produce astounding results.This is exem-plified by his participation in Eliada's runningprogram and subsequent earning of a trip toDisney World to run a 5K race. With pride,Bradley points to this trip as an experiencehe will never forget and speaks fondly of thelifelong connections he made there.

Over the last year, Bradley progressed somuch that he no longer needed the level ofservice he required upon arrival. Just a fewweeks ago, Bradley graduated from the resi-dential program and returned home.Although it's been an adjustment to leaveEliada, Bradley now feels more capable ofhandling change and expressing himself in apositive way. At his farewell celebration, hespoke candidly about the personal progresshe has made since first arriving. He feels hehas matured, and is looking forward to abright future- including his second year as anoutfielder on the baseball team! Bradley'sexample is atestament tothe power ofi n d i v i d u a lpotential. Allof us at Eliadaare so veryproud of theyoung gentle-man Bradleyhas become.

Bradley, March 2006

S U C C E S SS T O R I E S

Our Success Stor ies ser ies was created asa way to communicate with our fr iendsand donors in an effic ient, inexpensiveformat. Each month, we feature one ofour programs and the inspir ing stor y of achi ld whom the program has helped. To beadded to the Success Stor ies email l ist ,just send your complete e-mail address tosuccessstor [email protected].

Dustin came to Eliada from difficult

family circumstances, having grown up

in a number of group homes across

the Southeast. When he came to

Eliada, he knew it was different.

Although his time here was initially

plagued by behavioral issues and prob-

lems adjusting to the structured ‘point

card’ system, he made friends quickly

and felt very supported by the staff.

He began to realize that his friends

often emulated his negative behaviors,

and that, as one of the oldest at Eliada,

he needed to “step up and act as a

role model” for them. That realization

was a turning point for Dustin, who

began to make changes in his behav-

iors. He took advantage of the team

sports programs offered by Eliada,

becoming involved in soccer and bas-

ketball. He also points to participating

in the National Youth Project Using

Minibikes (NYPUM) program as one of

the highlights of his time with us.

Now 18, Dustin was placed in a foster

care home last year. He still keeps in

touch with many of the friends he

made here, both students and staff.

Attracted to the structure it provides,

he has also enlisted in the Army and

will be deployed soon. When he

returns, he plans to go to college and

major in Psychology.

Dustin feels he still has a lot to offer

Eliada residents. After graduating from

college he would like to return, this

time as part of the Residential Interns

Seeking Excellence (RISE) program.

RISE offers recent college graduates

housing, a stipend, and the opportuni-

ty to rotate through different program

areas to gain experience in the human

services field.

All of us at

Eliada are so

very proud of

Dustin, and

wish him luck

in the armed

forces and

beyond!Dustin, July 2006


Our Success Stor ies ser ies was created asa way to communicate with our fr iendsand donors in an effic ient, inexpensiveformat. Each month, we feature one ofour programs and the inspir ing stor y of achi ld whom the program has helped. To beadded to the Success Stor ies email l ist ,send your emai l address [email protected].

Valerie, 15, is a “self-made TASC mas-

ter” (acclaimed by her ultra-support-

ive foster mother), an alumni from

Cummings Cottage, and a graduate of

the Eliada School. She regularly

achieves A/B Honor Roll in her public

school and is well liked by her peers

and teachers. Valerie is a living exam-

ple of the success of the Eliada TASC

program which provides animal-assist-

ed, therapeutic activities and address-

es social, emotional, and physical

needs for children and families seeking

opportunities for healing and growth.

The TASC program “calms my soul,”

said Valerie. “It keeps me happy. I’m

positive when I’m at the barn. I love

working with horses and with

Meaghann.” The program “helps peo-

ple interact with animals so they can

learn good social development skills,”

says Valerie. She feels she has become

more confident, more aware of herself

and her surroundings, more honest,

and more independent. She said she

has learned to keep herself calm. Her

foster mother says that Valerie has

developed a wonderful sense of

humor and has made significant

progress in following through with

tasks. “She is a very special child, and

what a success she is!” said her foster

mother.

Valerie has been accepted to the

People to People Student Ambassador

Program. This great honor will lead

her to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji

where she will meet foreign officials,

visit the Sydney Opera House, go sail-

ing, and

receive col-

lege credit.

We are so

proud of

her!

Valerie, January 2006



Dillon was a 14-year-old boy withbehavioral problems and troublerespecting authority. His parents triedplacing him with his grandparents, inrespite care, and in two therapeuticfoster homes before finally sendinghim to Eliada’s residential program.

Dillon’s first few months at Eliadawere challenging; he found it difficultto control his emotions, and had trou-ble adjusting to the structured envi-ronment Eliada provides. On morethan one occassion, he required arestrictive intervention.

With patience and time, the hard workEliada staff put into Dillon’s treatment

paid off. Gradually, Dillon beganadjusting to life at Eliada, even becom-ing a model student and a role modelfor his peers. He has won two citizen-ship awards, the award for living skills,and the most improved basketballplayer award. He participated inadvanced equestrian classes, was partof the model train group, and obtaineda paying campus workstudy position.

Just a few weeks ago, Dillon returnedto his family a changed young man.Many staff members rave about Dillonand the progress he made here, evencalling him “the most courteous andthoughtful student I have had thepleasure of working with.” Althoughwe miss him, we are thrilled at hisaccomplishments and proud to haveplayed a part in his success. We’reproud of you, Dillon!

Dillon, June 2005



Maria came to Eliada’s foster care pro-gram as an aggressive child with poorsocial skills, low self-esteem, and anintense distrust of others. In her birthhome, Maria was subjected to manythings that were not always positive orappropriate, and was left feeling respon-sible for her mother, who had suffered astroke. Maria was unable to reach heracademic potential, had many irrationalfears, and lacked a sense of belonging.

In December of 2003, Kitty and DallasLogan took Maria into their home.Through the care and kindness of herfoster parents, Maria has learned to letothers help her through hard times. Shehas gained a sense of self-confidence,conquered many of her fears, andstopped being aggressive toward others.Maria has learned to enjoy attendingschool, and is even on the AB honor roll! Most importantly, Maria has learned to

count on other people. In December of2005 at just 11 years of age, Maria toldher child & family team that she wantedto change her name and officially becomepart of her adoptive family. She feels safein their home and now understands thatthey are there to take care of her, insteadof her taking care of them. Maria is a fullmember of the Logan family, and has agreat deal of respect and trust for heradoptive parents.

Even through tragedy Maria can perse-vere.When flooding devastated HaywoodCounty, the Logans lost their home andmost of their possessions. This experi-ence taught Maria that in difficult times,families can still succeed and even growstronger. After the flood, Maria found aplaque that she asked to be hung on thefront door. The plaque’s inscriptionreflects not only her feelings about herfamily, but also the enormous progressshe has made. It reads:

“Our familyis a circleof strengthand love.Every birth,union, joyand crisisf a c e dt o g e t h e rmakes usg r o wstronger.” Maria, May 2006


Our Success Stor ies ser ies was created asa way to communicate with our fr iendsand donors in an effic ient, inexpensiveformat. Each month, we feature one ofour programs and the inspir ing stor y of achi ld whom the program has helped. To beadded to the Success Stor ies email l ist ,send your email address to successsto-r [email protected].

A few months ago, Matt was anangr y, su l len 9th grade students t rugg l i ng i n pub l i c s choo l .A l though he had t remendouspotent ia l , Matt ’s lack of d isc i -p l ine and poor study sk i l l s kepth im f rom rea l i z i ng academicgoals . He was unable to managehis t ime and focus h is e f for tsef fect ive ly. Unable to keep upwith h is peers academica l ly, Mattlashed out at h is teachers andfe l low students . Embarrassmentover h is fa i l ing grades mani fest-ed in ser ious behav iora l i ssues ;meanwhi le , Matt fe l l fur ther andfur ther behind.

F ina l ly, Matt was referred here ,to E l iada Academy. Here , he hasach ieved the k ind o f successthat e luded h im in publ ic school .Now, Matt has nothing to beembarrassed about ; not only i she the E l iada Academy ‘Sc ienceStudent of the Month’ , he nowbel ieves in h is own potent ia l andi s mot i va ted to l earn andacquire new sk i l l s . Matt ’s teach-ers repor t that he now takes in i -t iat ive in c lass , and is among thef i rs t to vo lunteer answers orread a loud.

According to Matt , E l iada hashelped h im with h is anger man-a g e m e n tand withr e a d i n gc o m p r e -h e n s i o ns k i l l s .A l thoughhe had ad i f f i c u l ts tar t , henow seesin f in i te poss ib i l i t ies in h is futureand cont inues to progress as astudent and an indiv idua l .

Matt, February 2006

S U C C E S SS T O R I E s


Marcy came to Eliada as a young woman ofgreat personal strength; the problem was, shedidn’t always use it the best ways. Her familyrelationships were strained, and she hadtrouble interacting positively with teachers andauthority figures. Staff immediately recognizedthat behind her oppositional exterior, Marcywas an incredibly bright, beautiful, and talentedyoung woman; the challenge was to help herrecognize that for herself. Her initial stay herewas marked by multiple attempts to run away,anger management issues, and sporadic schoolattendance.

A turning point in Marcy’s life came in the formof a gathering of her family members, Eliadastaff, and members of her home community ofthe Cherokee nation, including her mother,brother, grandmother, and probation officer.The Judge of the Cherokee nation and hisfather, the Chief Justice, also attended. Thepurpose of the meeting was to show Marcythat she has many people in her life who willnot give up on her or allow her to give up onherself. This “Circle” (which in fact was aphysical circle modeled after the Native

American custom) provided each participantthe opportunity to speak about Marcy’sstrengths, and how each planned to help andsupport her. The coming together of bothcommunities on behalf of Marcy was apowerful and uplifting experience for allinvolved. For Marcy, the recipient of thisoutpouring of support, it could not have beenmore positive.

Another significant factor in Marcy’s life hasbeen participation in Eliada’s athletic program.She began as a member of the Thunderbolt 5Kmarathon team, played on the volleyball team,and is currently the captain and a star playeron the girl’s basketball team. According to hercoach, athletics have taught Marcy what shewas unable to learn elsewhere—compassionfor teammates, opponents, and, mostimportantly, herself. She is also extremelytalented in other extracurricular activities,including poetry and calligraphy.

Now, with plans to attend college, Marcy’stime at Eliada is coming to a close. While shestill faces challenges, she now uses her innateinner strength to make sound decisions, enrichher family and peer relationships, and worktowards a bright future. Dr. Seidler says of her,“Marcy is a very special person. Herdetermination isremarkable, andher newfoundability to reactpositively todifficultcircumstances isamazing. I know Ispeak on behalf ofall the staff when Isay how proud Iam of all herprogress.” Marcy, December 2006



Imagine being a four year old, coming toa new school, and not understanding thelanguage being spoken by your teachersand peers. Illya, a native Russian speaker,came to Eliada's More at Four classroomin August. More at Four is a pre-kinder-garten initiative designed to help childrenlearn new skills and become more pre-pared for school. Initially a very shy child,Illya didn't get involved in classroomactivities and shed many a tear when hisparents dropped him off in the mornings.Most often, he played alone and rarelyinteracted with other children. Illyacouldn't write his name, and most of hisdrawings were little more than scribbles.Inhibited by the language barrier, Illya'smain form of communication was gestur-ing or pointing.

Now we are almost at the end of ourMore at Four school year, and Illya hasmade great progress. He is speaking incomplete English sentences, copyingwords that are written down for him, andinteracting with his peers. He loves toexpress himself through creating blockstructures in our manipulative play cen-ter. His block structures are very com-plex and detailed. Illya becomes deeplyinvolved in imaginative play with otherchildren and even suggests ideas androles for them. Affectionately known asour classroom movie critic, he lovesmovies and can describe basic story linesand characters. He loves to talk to histeachers and peers about the latestmovies. A bright and vivacious child, Illyahas benefited from the individual atten-tion and opportunity for creative expres-sion afforded by the More at Four pro-gram. His teachers feel confident thatwith hisn e w f o u n dc o m m u n i -cation andsocial skills,Illya is nowready fork i n d e r -garten!

Illya,April 2006


Our Success Stor ies ser ies was createdas a way to communicate with ourfr iends and donors in an effic ient, inex-pensive format. Each month, we featureone of our programs and the inspir ingstor y of a chi ld whom the program hashelped. To be added to the SuccessStor ies email l ist , send your emailaddress to [email protected].

Aaron came to Eliada’s Striving TowardsExcellence Program (STEP), our freeadolescent afterschool program, as a shy16-year old with underdeveloped socialskills. With little confidence among hispeers, Aaron rarely engaged others inconversation and was not comfortableinitiating tasks or asking for help.Although he had a tendency to bondwith staff easily, he had difficultydeveloping and maintaining friendshipswith his peers.

While in STEP, Aaron became involvedin Eliada’s NYPUM minibike program.Unlike many students, Aaron was moreinterested in the mechanical aspects ofthe bike rather than just the experienceof riding. Becoming familiar with allaspects of the bike has given Aaron a

confidence he didn’t have before. Now ahighly skilled rider, Aaron has developedtremendous leadership skills. He oftenseeks out other riders who need help,and identifies areas that everyone canimprove upon. He is also on the A-Bhonor roll at Eliada Academy, developinghis leadership capacity in other areas ofthe Eliada community.

STEP provided Aaron the opportunity towork on his peer relationships andbecome more active, allowing additionaltime to socialize in a recreationalsetting. Aaron says that the STEPprogram “cheered me up and gave mesomething to look forward to in theafternoons.” Aaron’s mother said thatthe STEP program created a tremendousboost in his confidence. He was morewilling to explore different activitieswhen involved with STEP, and tookmore pride in his appearance. The STEPprogram gave Aaron motivation to getthrough his days positively. According toAaron, “Every day at 4:00 I go to STEP. Icame to EliadaHomes and finallystarted to makefriends… Irespect Eliada alot and theyrespect me.”

Aaron, November 2006



Keila is a beautiful brown-eyed girl who wasborn in Mexico four years ago. Althoughpregnancy and labor were extremely difficultfor both mother and child, the doctor inMexico assured Keila’s parents that theirbaby was in perfect health and would beabsolutely fine. Three years passed, and stillKeila had not begun speaking, didn’t followdirections, and refused to interact withother children.

Keila’s family immigrated to the UnitedStates seeking citizenship and a better life fortheir child. When she first arrived, Keila sawa pediatrician who referred her to a special-ist. The specialist examined Keila and issueda diagnosis that every new mother fears:Keila was autistic. Immediately, BuncombeCounty Schools arranged for Keila to receivespeech and language therapy. Therapiststried to work with Keila in the home, butwere unsuccessful. Keila would not sit stillfor therapy and spent most of their sessionsunder the table, meowing like a cat.

Buncombe County Schools referred the fam-ily to Eliada’s new More at Four Program.The first week was very difficult for Keila,who had never been apart from her mother.Each day when her mother left, Keila clungto her in tears and spent most of each daycrying. Keila did not want to play with theother children, and didn’t know how toexpress her basic needs or wants.

Keila has been in the More at Four programfor several months and is doing extremelywell. Her social skills and vocabulary haveimproved greatly. Keila is learning English aswell as Spanish and is now verbally express-ing her wants and needs to her teachers.Every morning she runs into the classroomsmiling and is able to kiss her mother and say“bye-bye ma ma”. She is always excited togreet her friends in the morning and callsthem by name, saying “Come on, play!” Sheloves playing the “duck game” where shesorts toy ducks by color, and also loves tak-ing care of Oreo, the class pet hamster (whoshe calls “Baby”). Keila also loves to blowkisses to her teachers and friends.

We are all very proud of how much Keila haslearned in such a short time. With the con-tinued therapy she is receiving fromB u n c o m b eCounty Schoolsand the learningoppor tun i t i e safforded byEliada’s More atFour program,we are confidentthat Keila will beready for andsuccessful inKindergarten. Keila, October 2006



Most of us have great memories of summer

camp; fun activities, long and hot summer days

swimming at the pool or lake, and making new

friends. What we tend to forget are those first

few days at camp when we arrive to find no

familiar faces, and none of the same teachers or

friends from school. Now imagine you are six-

years-old, a bit shy, and not confident with your

English.

We first caught a glimpse of Isaac, and just a

glimpse it was, tucked behind his mom in the

hustle and bustle of the first day of summer

camp. Isaac sat quietly by himself away from the

rest of the group until the end of the day.

Despite the efforts of several counselors (in

English and Spanish), Isaac remained stalwart,

silent, and solo the entirety of that first week of

camp.

Isaac’s mother told camp staff that although he

was not a great swimmer, Isaac loved to play in

the water. Yet, each morning as his fellow

campers gleefully changed into their swimsuits

and marched up to the pool, Isaac remained in

his jeans and t-shirt. Clearly we had a deter-

mined kid on our hands. Then, one extra-hot

afternoon in July, Isaac had enough and, with

hardly a word, donned his swim trunks and

made his debut in the pool.

Soon after that Isaac could be seen with new

friends Malachi, Conner, and Aiden, each encour-

aging him to jump in the pool and play. It wasn’t

long before Isaac was involved in all the activi-

ties at camp (though he still found it too cool

some mornings for the early swim). It was a

pleasure for all of us to see such a bright and

happy young boy gain confidence, immersing

(and submerging) himself in the simple pleasures

of summer camp.

Isaac, August 2005



Brandy was referred to Eliada Academy from

the public school system almost one year

ago. She had difficulty respecting teachers

and other adults, often engaging in physical

and verbal altercations with her peers.

Unable to appropriately communicate her

feelings, she often displayed angry outbursts

both at school and home.

For the first several months, Brandy was less

than receptive to feedback and rarely

accepted any responsibility for her behavior.

There were many incidents where she

walked out of the classroom or school build-

ing because she didn’t like what feedback

staff had given her. She often became over-

whelmed with the environment and chose

to isolate herself from her peers. During

her monthly plan of care meetings, Brandy

rarely participated and, if she did, would

once again not accept feedback nor identify

areas she needed to improve. Despite these

challenges, there were signs of progress over

the year that ensured that although she

might not improve quickly, Brandy did have

the necessary skills to succeed.

It was while attending day treatment during

the summer that real change began to occur.

Staff worked with Brandy extensively and

noticed that gradually her level of self-confi-

dence and the pride in which she took in her

school work and personal appearance began

to improve. She began to participate in her

monthly plan of care meetings and has

recently been able to recognize her own

success, even identifying areas in which she

has improved. Previously Brandy would walk

away from a staff when being given feedback,

currently she is receptive, maintains eye con-

tact and accepts responsibility for her own

actions and behavior. Brandy now stays in

class, and is proud of the improvement in

her grades. She points to her involvement

with the TASC equestrian program as a high-

light of her time at Eliada.

Brandy’s relationship with her mother has

also improved, and her mother notes a

marked changed at home with Brandy’s

overall maturity level. She is more responsi-

ble for herself by making sure she is pre-

pared for school with a clean uniform and

ensuring she is getting sufficient sleep. Eliada

Academy staff is very proud of Brandy and

the progress that she has made. Brandy will

be returning to

the public

school system

very soon and

the staff feels

confident that

she will be suc-

cessful there and

in life beyond

Eliada.

Brandy, September 2006


2006 success stories

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