This is a 12 - 18 month residential wilderness program offered to both boys and girls from the ages of 13 to 18. There are a number of non-traditional components to this program including, but not exclusively:
The Environment and Peer Culture
The challenge of living in the woods for the duration of the program takes the teens out of their comfort zone. It requires they learn new and more effective coping skills. They participate in building their own cabins from the land while experiencing life without the negative cultural influences that so often draw attention away from the responsibilities and obligations of the real world. This experience calls for communal cooperation and is necessary for even the most basic daily needs, thus a significant motivator toward re-thinking one's role in society and his or her obligation to others. Rights and privileges are taught to be exercised only to the degree that responsibilities and obligations are fulfilled.

Authority
Without a healthy concept of authority, teens have no transcendent reference point for moral right and wrong. As the teens see staff and leadership submit to an Authority greater than themselves, as recognized throughout nearly all of our nation's history through the Judeo-Christian tradition, the reference point becomes clear. This, in turn, fosters a sense of security which frees the teens to better submit to their authority figures. As their capacity for self-restraint increases, so does their self-esteem. These two qualities combine for a better atmosphere for learning.

The Spiritual Nature
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone; the new has come"

II Corinthians 5:17
Our ability to think and reason is rooted in the spiritual nature of our being. As teens understand the spiritual origins of our nation and the world, they are challenged to choose and think for themselves about the reality of the inevitable issues of life such as origin, meaning, morality, and destiny, in light of truth as it relates to facts, and not just theory. As the teens acknowledge the validity of being created with a purpose, in the image of an almighty and loving God, as opposed to a happenstance evolution from a lower life form, expectations for themselves can only increase.

This is usually at the end of the first 12 months but can be earlier depending on each individual resident and his/her growth and changes. This can last 6 months to 12 months; again, depending on the needs of the resident.

A Different Environment
The residents move out of the wilderness and into a home on campus with 24 hour staff supervision. They are allowed more individual freedom and chances to make "right choices". They also have the opportunity to gain back certain privileges they did not enjoy in the wilderness, such as TV and video games (in moderation and with supervision, of course). When counselors and staff feel the time is right, residents can earn the privilege of getting a driver's license and/or acquire a part time job.

New Behaviors
The Next Step Program offers the teen a chance to exercise their new healthy behavior patterns while living in a safe and structured environment. Although they are still in a controlled environment, they have many more opportunities where they must choose the way they will act and/or react to any number of societal situations. They are assisted in practicing healthy social interactions and relationships with their peers of both genders in a supervised environment. In other words, they get to practice behaving appropriately in the real world. This is a "proving grounds", so to speak, where mistakes can be expected and corrected.

Plans for Re-uniting with the Family after Program Completion
We also take this time to work closely with the parents/family in preparation for the residents' return home. The focus for the parents is on boundaries, discipline, and education into the teen's subculture (i.e., their music). The focus for the resident is on re-entering the family as a functional and participating member. We will also focus on ways residents can interact in their peer culture without succumbing to the negative pressures they will experience. It is a chance for all members of the family to heal from past crises and pain, while allowing their faith to sustain them in today's world.

Shepherd's Hill Farm (SHF) is an alternative approach for parents and kids who have exhausted the conventional approaches to their problems. It seems fitting that Shepherd's Hill Academy (SHA) explores alternative approaches as well. Shepherd's Hill Academy is a fully-accredited junior and senior high school by the Georgia Accrediting Commission.

Many students who come to SHF have already discovered that they learn in different ways, and at different paces than their peers. Since there is no education without a disciplined environment, respect for authority is transferred into the classroom. This comes from the truth, love, time, communication, and consistent training given to each student in the program. Students come to realize their futures often depend on the choices they make today; and, that healthy choices, with God's help, can change the courses their lives have been on.

The main objective of SHA is to provide a fully-accredited year-round school for the students of our program. SHA offers transferable courses commensurate with the educational requirements of this state, based on the Quality Core Curriculum, and provides each graduate with a high school diploma. In addition, we have designed our program to meet the following objectives:
. To teach students how to learn and think analytically;

. To teach decision making for a positive future;
. To guide each student into career decisions appropriate to his or her giftings and abilities;
. To develop the self-concept of the learner through positive educational experiences;
. To give students a quality education in preparation to be productive members of society;
. To meet the requirements for graduation as set forth by the State of Georgia.

SHA offers a general-education course specifically designed for the students' unique needs. Although we do utilize traditional textbooks in our courses, we also use various non-traditional educational techniques which are designed to more fully engage the student in his/her education. SHA uses the Stanford Achievement Test, as needed, with any student who comes in need of remediation to help determine appropriate placement. This test measures the students' and school's national standing academically.

In class, the teens learn from Georgia certified teachers who teach the various subjects. Our Principal and Director of Education hold's a master's degree in special education. SHA operates directly under the administration and organization of SHF, a 501(c) 3 non-profit ministry which has a governing board that meets semi-annually.

Our school and campus facilities have all the conveniences of most other schools, plus the day-to-day activities around the campsites that give great opportunities for teens to grow in character. Our sports, field trips, games, horses, devotions, accountability groups, game room, exercise room, music room and chapel are just some of the other healthy activities that kids can involve themselves in to grow in personal character. Every activity here is designed for a teachable moment.

Therapy is not something reserved for an office only; it is done everywhere and all the time. Besides having a full-time (on campus) licensed therapist, counselors and staff are trained to look for "teachable moments" in every activity and in every situation. This takes place as trust and relationships are developed between the staff and the teens, and between the teens themselves. Problem solving at camp transfers to problem solving in other environments.

All of the therapy offered at SHF is Christ-centered and derived from biblical principles. None of these principles is without application to today's culture. The teens are supported in dealing with issues related to their behavior and healthy modes of expressing their feelings. Many of the teens who come to SHF have already been through a great deal of secular and traditional psychiatric/mental health therapy. At SHF, many individual therapy sessions are non-traditional in that they may be held while walking through the woods, pulling weeds, or sitting on a swing.

SHF has a full-time resident nurse/therapist who specializes in Child and Adolescent Christian Counseling, and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP). She handles all medical aspects of care for the teens including medication administration; illness and injury care and follow-up; psychiatric appointments, and all ongoing therapy. She coordinates the residents' individual treatment plans and goals, as well as all parent/family therapy. Each teen participates in regular individual therapy sessions, and regular group EAP sessions. She also provides training and education to our staff and counselors, as well as health education to our teens.

EAP is a form of experiential psychotherapy that includes equines (horses). Some of the activities that are included in EAP are grooming, handling, riding, and learning to have a relationship with a horse. This all leads to opportunities to enhance self-awareness, and re-pattern maladaptive behaviors, feelings, and attitudes.

It is our belief that when a teen is in crisis the entire family is also in crisis. Therapy is focused on the teen from day one. After several months in the program we expect the family to begin participating in family therapy. We include the parents by offering regular phone conferences and family sessions here at the farm. These are scheduled on family visitation weekends. We also provide parenting conferences at different times of the year to promote healing of relationships.

a Typical Day at the Farm
Consists of residents rising at 6:30 AM for daily devotions. Living quarters are then cleaned and inspected. A quarter mile walk to the cafeteria on the school campus for breakfast begins at 7:30 AM. School begins at 8:00 AM and ends at 3:00 PM. At this time, depending on the particular day, residents could participate in a number of different activities. After school, an average day consists of quiet time; an hour or so of work detail; an hour or so of recreation; and then dinner. After dinner, depending on the day, any number of therapeutic, instructional, spiritual, educational, or wholesome experiential activities could be engaged in. Devotions are given before bedtime, then lights out at 10:00 PM. But, whatever settings the kids are in, wholesome interaction with Godly attitudes are modeled by spiritually mature staff and counselors. This is true discipleship.

A Typical Weekend at the Farm
Weekends consist of a morning of work detail on Saturday. The afternoon could host any number of activities-on/or off campus. Sporting events, music, field trips, swimming, fishing, movies, or simply hanging out and enjoying good conversation, are just a few of the things the kids can do Sunday is for Church, rest, and relaxation; yet, counselors are always eager to engage in helping any teen with anything from their spiritual life to homework.

Recreations at the Farm
In today's secularized society, stressing to our teens the importance of finding the sacred in the secular is paramount. Where the sacred can not be found in the secular, our teens are encouraged to bring the sacred to the secular (Mark 16: 15). Mission Motorsports is just one of many healthy activities in which teens can involve themselves to bring a Godly influence to a social event. For some of the kids, being involved in a real competitive auto racing team provides wholesome excitement that yields many hidden benefits. And, since there are grade requirements in order to participate, incentives to excel in academics are given to those residents who desire to be involved.

The Reins of Life Therapeutic Riding Program allows teens to volunteer their free time to work with other children with physical and emotional disabilities during the weekly Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) sessions. This offers our teens another opportunity to give of themselves.

Ultimate Frisbee seems to be the game of choice these days for both the teens and staff. It is great fun for boys and girls, and offers opportunity for good exercise and team cooperation. Teens participate in this group activity both on and off campus (when the teens have earned the privilege to leave camp, of course).

Our girls love all kinds of creative craft activities, such as designing and making items to sell at local fair booths, and special gifts for parents and family members for birthdays and holiday presents. This teaches the value of giving of one's time instead of money. There just seems to be something special about a handmade gift.

And, of course, everyone gets into a good game of basketball, touch football, and other popular sports. Both the boys and girls love to spend extra time at the barn, helping out and working with their favorite horse.

Another option is our student newspaper, "The Sheep's Pen", which the teens design and publish as a group. This gives them another sense of ownership, which helps build their sense of community and self-worth.