Knight's Den Remodel

The students of Navigator Hall wanted the best Knight’s Den on campus, and they were willing to get to work in order to get it. All eight dorms on campus are set up in a similar fashion, and each has a place where only Knights can go. The Knight’s Den is where students can relax to read a book, watch a movie, or compete in video game action. When the Navigator Hall students approached their staff team with their idea to revamp it, Program Director Bill Badgley knew the perfect person to head up the project.

Don Teague is Woodward Academy’s Testing Coordinator, and works with students to complete their high school equivalency. He is also assigned to Navigator Hall and is a known handyman on campus when it comes to woodworking. His work is excellent and when he was tasked with the remodel, he knew that his vision for the Knight’s Den would not be cheap.

Over the course of 6 months, the students of Navigator Hall raised approximately $2,500 to fulfill their dream. They accomplished this by organizing a 50/50 raffle, selling concessions at weekend visits, and making hoodies and t-shirts supporting the football team. They were also able to make some money by working off campus. All summer, they were responsible for prepping and managing a little league baseball complex in Polk County. They also sold concessions during Iowa State Cyclone football games inside Jack Trice Stadium, and helped clean a local church every week.

Once the money was raised, the team went to work and they spared no expense. New flat screen televisions (each with their own control) are surrounded by a 14 foot, custom built oak entertainment center. The gaming center includes a Playstation and Xbox 360 that can handle 8 players at once. To make the Knight’s Den truly a special place for viewing, new black out thermal curtains were installed that surround new couches that occupy the raised theater seating.

The entire process was a huge motivator and success for the dorm. The students responded with hard work, dedication, and a sense of purpose to fulfill their desire for a new Knight’s Den.

Dorm Weekend Camping Trip

This past weekend, members of Mountaineer Hall spent a night camping away from campus. They set up camp Saturday and moved right into getting wood ready for the camp fire and getting sleeping arrangements prepped for the night. Grilling food was a top priority with several Knights taking the lead. Spending a night away from campus with fellow Knights can add a sense of normalcy to their program and as leaders on their dorm, they deserved it.  With many of the students living in urban settings, spending a night in the open air and under the stars was a first for them, and they all loved it.  To top it off, no camping trip is truly complete without smores.  To see more images from the camping experience, check out our Knight Pics website by clicking here.

Dorm Life: Increased activity and exercise

What happens when you put 30 boys on a dorm and 240 across campus?  A lot of activity!!  That is precisely what happens when a student begins attending Woodward Academy.  This activity serves multiple purposes, but ultimately has a positive impact on a students life.  Over the past 20 years, obesity in U.S. teens has tripled to a staggering 18%.  This may happen for a variety of reasons that include poor dietary habits and too many video games, but can be regulated with a healthy lifestyle balance that includes exercise.

During the day, all students take a physical education class and eat 3 healthy meals a day.  Beyond that, many dorm activities in the early evening hours and on weekends consist of some type of organized activity.  Basketball, weight lifting, or just playing capture the flag get students moving, and over time some of the best shape they've been in for awhile.  It is not uncommon for a student to enter WA completely out of shape and lose 20-30 unneeded pounds over the course of a couple months.  They often feel better, look better, and respond better to the stressors in their life.  And when it comes down to it, they are boys and have energy to burn.

Phase Five House Opens

The Phase Five House opened this week after months of planning and preparation.  Currently, four students are living at the house that is supervised by WA staff.  The house serves as a fifth phase in our program and is being utilized to help bridge the gap between residential treatment and the next stage in a student's life.

To catch everyone up on what the Phase Five House is and to see some images inside, read more after the jump.

Jerry's Notes: In the Beginning...

The Knightly Knews always likes to look at Woodward Academy history in order to step back and respect where we have come from.  The following article of Jerry's Notes was original published in Volume 21 of the Knightly Knews.  If you didn't have a chance to see it, click here and download a .pdf version of it.

Jerry's Notes are intended to pass along some WA history and observations of life on campus.  To bring you up to speed, Jerry Anderson is an original employee of Woodward Academy and has held several positions including that of business manager.  He is currently on the Board of Directors for the Woodward Youth Corporation and had the second education center named in his honor.

Read more after the jump.

Dorm Life: How do you do laundry again??

When students attend Woodward Academy, they leave behind the comforts of home and the pampering of mothers and family. When this happens, they are expected to care for themselves in some ways and meet certain expectations of cleanliness and personal hygiene. As boring as it sounds, taking care of personal laundry is a small portion of the tasks that students must attend to on a weekly basis.

Though it doesn't happen often, there are times when students come to WA with no experience of running a washing machine or folding laundry. They are quickly taught how to do these things and learn an important life lesson in the process. Each dorm operates their laundry differently, but most have scheduled days for students with additional machines located on campus. Maintaining a clean dorm, which includes personal wall lockers is all a part of the process. Being neat is an expectation!

Santa visits WA

After making stops at 132 million homes and carrying over 600 million pounds of toys and gifts to children across the world, Santa decided to make a stop at Woodward Academy on Christmas day to visit some of the students who couldn't make it home for the holidays. In a pinch, Admissions Director Ryan Santi donned his elf outfit while they visited the dorms together. Pictured it Mountaineer Hall excited to see the dynamic duo. It looks like the "Nice List" got a bit longer over the past year. Thanks Santa.

12 Challenges of Christmas...

The holiday season can be a challenging time for some students at Woodward Academy. For many, thinking about home and missing time with family and friends can be difficult to comprehend. Home pass visits are very popular this time of year for students who have continually performed well, but not all students are eligible or adequately prepared for this step in their transition process. Starting December 22 and running through the New Year, school is out of session... so what do students do during the holiday break?

One of the more popular things to do during any extended break is to initiate dorm renovation projects such as painting and deeper cleaning. But those things can fill a limited amount of time and although necessary, are not always enjoyable. This year, headed by Program Director Scott Clouser, a fun dorm vs. dorm competition titled "The 12 Challenges of Christmas" is added to the list of holiday activities. Dorms will compete in 6 challenges that will all take place on Friday, December 23 and will be judged on 6 additional challenges throughout the break with the top dorm earning $500 in dorm expenses. Below is a breakdown of the 12 Challenges:

1. Fastest - Team of 6 students in a "lap style" race competing in a single elimination tournament.
2. Strongest - Team of 5 students doing reps of 135 lbs. on the bench press.
3. Smartest - Team of 5 students asked trivia questions in game show format on topics ranging from sports to pop culture.
4. Smoothest - Team of 3 students writing lyrics and songs about their dorm.
5. Tastiest - Team of 4 students making homemade pizza. Bon Appetite!
6. Proudest - Team of 5 students who will be responsible for creating a banner for their dorm. WOW factor counts!

7. Kindest - What have you done to help other dorms?
8. Cleanest - Dorm inspections throughout the week
9. Sharpest - Looking good makes you feel good!
10. Friendliest - Share your holiday cheer!
11. Knightliest - Most Knights @ end of Rush Month
12. Overall Completest - Most Wins!!