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IS
STEVENSON THE RIGHT SCHOOL?
Stevenson
serves bright underachieving adolescents who have been unable to negotiate
the academic, social and emotional pressures of the typical school environment.
These students may have been described as unmotivated or even lazy. They
may have acted out by avoiding school, engaged in disruptive behavior
in the classroom, or sought to escape their struggles in other behaviors
that put them at risk. Some may have simply shut down, refusing to work
or sometimes even to attend school. These students may be struggling with
attention deficit disorder, adjustment problems, anxiety, depression,
or difficulties with peers, and may have learning problems as well. Virtually
all of these teenagers are defensive, have low self-esteem, and are in
danger of losing hope and giving up.
As these
adolescents despair of succeeding in school, it is not uncommon for them
to become increasingly more difficult at home. Parents become the targets
of their hostility. Reasonable structure and limits are ignored. Involvement
in less acceptable activities with less suitable acquaintances becomes
evident. Mothers and fathers may feel that they are being rejected as
parents.
On the positive
side, Stevenson students are described as intelligent, appealing, resourceful,
and creative youngsters. Some of these underachievers may have demonstrated
flashes of real achievement in special areas or for periods of time. They
may even have been enrolled in prestigious, competitive schools. At Stevenson,
the specially designed program and integrated support systems that these
students need to succeed are available. Students learn to trust themselves
and others, gain confidence and self-esteem, and form new patterns of
success.
Youngsters
are often referred to Stevenson by guidance counselors, psychologists,
and other mental health professionals as well as parents and alumni.
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