Urban Report

Pine Forge Academy

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Yvonne Lewis (Host), Nicole Hughes

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Series Code: UBR

Program Code: UBR000217A


00:01 What do Senate chaplain Barry Black,
00:03 actor Clifton Davis,
00:05 and yours truly, have in common.
00:07 Stay tuned to find out.
00:09 My name is Yvonne Lewis
00:10 and you're watching Urban Report.
00:37 Hello and welcome to Urban Report.
00:40 My guest today
00:41 is the headmistress of Pine Forge Academy,
00:44 Nicole Hughes.
00:46 Welcome to Urban Report, Nicole.
00:47 Thank you for having me. So happy to be here.
00:49 Oh, it's so great to have you.
00:51 You know, the question and the tease was
00:54 what do Barry Black,
00:56 Clifton Davis, and I, have in common.
00:58 We all went to Pine Forge.
01:00 Wow! Look at that.
01:01 Pine, Pine Forge was such a blessing.
01:04 I was there, I won't say what year.
01:08 Probably not longer after it opened
01:09 and it just celebrated its 70th anniversary, right?
01:13 It did.
01:15 I went there and my dad was the dean of boys.
01:18 So I lived in the boy's dormitory.
01:20 Oh, what an experience!
01:21 That was, that was quite an experience.
01:23 The only girl walking up the hill, right.
01:26 But it was a great, great experience.
01:28 Tell us about Pine Forge.
01:30 It has such a legacy, tell us about Pine Forge.
01:33 Pine Forge Academy is an awesome school.
01:36 It is the only historically black
01:38 Christian Seventh-day Adventist boarding school of its kind
01:42 in the entire nation.
01:44 We service students in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12.
01:48 They come from over 25 different states,
01:51 and nationalities,
01:53 and people, and when you get to Pine Forge,
01:55 there's just something sacred
01:58 and special about the environment
02:00 and you feel it in your interaction with the students
02:04 and in your interaction with the families
02:06 but quite candidly,
02:07 in who you see the students become,
02:09 like you, time down the line.
02:12 Oh, praise the Lord. You know, praise the Lord.
02:14 It's so interesting
02:15 because I just recently visited Pine Forge
02:18 and that's where I met you.
02:20 I brought my granddaughter
02:21 'cause I really wanted her to check out the school.
02:24 And you're right,
02:26 there is something so sacred about the grounds.
02:33 There's just this feeling that you get when you're there.
02:36 And the students seem to love it.
02:39 How many students do you have enrolled there?
02:41 So it ranges, one year,
02:42 we had 160, this year, we have 139.
02:45 In the past, we've had as low as 120, but no matter
02:49 the compilation or the number of students,
02:51 the energy is always the same.
02:54 So academy students are known for being great singers, right?
02:57 But that's not all. Yeah.
02:59 They're great thinkers, they're awesome leaders,
03:01 they're caring, and they're compassionate.
03:04 They do a whole host of things,
03:05 from giving shoes and socks to the homeless on MLK day,
03:10 to going to the nursing homes on the weekend,
03:12 and leading all types of extracurriculars.
03:15 They bring a excited passion to the campus
03:19 and to our experience as adults.
03:21 That's tremendous, that is really tremendous.
03:23 I felt it when I was there,
03:25 visiting this last time and the choir sang.
03:28 The choir was such a big part of my musical development too.
03:32 'Cause at the time,
03:34 Mr. Anthony was the choir director
03:37 and he just inspired you to wanna sing.
03:41 The kids there, play instruments,
03:44 sing, I mean, there's so much talent there,
03:48 it's just, it's amazing.
03:50 Give us some, a little history of the school.
03:53 How did the school come to be?
03:55 So Pine Forge Academy is on truly remarkable land.
03:58 It sits on about 575 acres.
04:02 And right through the property, the Manatawny River runs.
04:05 What's interesting about that,
04:06 is that the Manatawny River is named
04:08 after a group of Indians that lived there,
04:11 native Americans, excuse me.
04:12 And they were named the Manatawny.
04:14 We've come to find out through some research
04:16 that they were sabbatarians,
04:18 who actually inhabited the land at that time.
04:22 In the early 1700s, the land was deeded
04:26 from William Penn to Thomas Rudder.
04:28 The William Penn?
04:30 The William Penn. Okay.
04:31 The William Penn deeded the land to Thomas Rudder
04:33 who also in his family kept the Sabbath.
04:36 It's known as a location on the underground railroad,
04:40 literally a stop where former slaves were liberated
04:44 on their ways to freedom.
04:45 And since then, has had such a civil rights
04:49 impact in its own special way.
04:51 Now, what I mean
04:53 by that is the Academy in 1946 was founded
04:57 with the 90 pioneers, and those pioneers
05:00 and subsequent alumni have gone to do amazing things
05:04 for people of color or just the general community.
05:07 An example, our first graduate,
05:10 Dr. Margaret Dixon, was also the first woman
05:14 in her university to earn a doctorate in nursing.
05:17 It's amazing to know that this is the legacy,
05:21 this is the impact that
05:23 Pine Forge Academy students are making,
05:26 not just on the campus but around the world.
05:29 That's tremendous, and they are making an impact.
05:32 The whole history though of Pine Forge
05:36 being a part of the underground railroad,
05:38 I mean, that area,
05:40 that land being a part of the underground railroad,
05:43 that is tremendous.
05:45 So in 1946, was it? Mm-hm.
05:48 The school was founded, who founded the school?
05:51 Principal Moran.
05:52 Now the interesting thing about Principal Moran is that
05:55 he was actually one of the first
05:58 or early presidents of Oakwood College.
06:00 I remember him.
06:02 I think one of the first African Americans
06:03 and so when he came to Pine Forge,
06:06 the vision was the great Oakwood of the North.
06:10 Creating a school for high school students
06:13 that would have a vigor and an academic vigor
06:17 and create professionalism,
06:19 so that students can go out into the world
06:21 and do those amazing things.
06:23 So the story goes that
06:26 many folks at the time were excited
06:28 but nervous about the cost to acquire the land
06:32 and start the school and so Allegheny East,
06:36 and it wasn't Allegheny East Conference at the time,
06:38 my apologies,
06:39 Allegheny Conference at the time.
06:40 Right, right, right.
06:42 Their leaders put out a pitch saying,
06:43 "Hey, this is an awesome potential to do God's ministry.
06:48 Can we raise the money?"
06:50 And they raised, some debate and say,
06:52 it was 46,000, others say, it was 49,000, nevertheless.
06:56 They raised the money in a year.
06:59 Pledges, donations, the money came pouring in
07:02 and the land was purchased.
07:04 In the early stages, the students and the faculty,
07:08 they all lived in the very similar housing,
07:11 one such building is called the Manor House,
07:14 it has been there since Thomas Rudder himself,
07:17 who was there.
07:18 So it's quite a historic building.
07:21 And so they all lived in that same environment
07:23 and they often say, our pioneers,
07:26 "It felt like family.
07:28 It felt like home away from home."
07:31 And even today,
07:32 that's what the academy is known for.
07:34 Creating a family among young Adventist Christians
07:38 who go on to keep those bonds and friendships for a lifetime.
07:42 That is so true.
07:44 I have friends from Pine Forge
07:46 that I've had from when I was there,
07:48 I was there in the ninth grade, I was 13 years old.
07:52 Yeah, I was 13 in the ninth grade.
07:54 I was, I was 13, and my best friend
07:58 then is still my friend today, Beverly Von.
08:02 And she's very involved in still,
08:04 in the divas and all that.
08:06 And some of those friends
08:07 that I had from then are still my friends today,
08:10 it's amazing.
08:12 You make lifelong friendships there.
08:14 The other thing that,
08:16 that strikes me about the school is that
08:19 it does create leaders.
08:21 Oh, absolutely.
08:23 Let's talk about the intention involved in that.
08:27 What, how do you,
08:29 how do you shape tomorrow's leaders?
08:31 You know, that's such a great question
08:33 because part of it is intentionality
08:35 and also design.
08:37 So the boarding school environment creates
08:39 a mini collegiate experience for the students.
08:43 They're away from home, some as early as ninth grade,
08:46 some joining us as upperclassmen.
08:48 And they learn how to be autonomous,
08:50 they learn to self manage,
08:52 they learn to balance the dynamic of
08:54 so many different relationships here.
08:56 Your dean, your teachers in Wagner Hall,
08:59 your roommates, maybe even floor mates
09:00 who don't always make you smile.
09:04 They learn to balance all of those experiences
09:08 and so when they go off to the college,
09:10 they're very well verse.
09:11 They have emotional intelligence,
09:13 they know how to manage their time,
09:15 they know how to prioritize their tasks.
09:18 So that part of it is the boarding school element.
09:21 The other element is the Pine Forge element.
09:24 And what I mean by that is the worship experience,
09:28 the spiritual experience,
09:30 it's so important to everything that we do
09:32 and rather than doing it ourselves as faculty
09:35 and students, I rather, faculty and staff,
09:38 we push the students out.
09:39 So they're the ones leading praise and worship,
09:42 they're the ones leading in divine worship,
09:45 they're the ones that are doing
09:46 the Wednesday night prayer meetings.
09:48 Just last week,
09:50 I heard a ninth grade student give a fabulous devotion
09:54 that he himself wrote during Wednesday night prayer meeting.
09:58 Where else do you get that opportunity
10:00 to be a leader among your peers?
10:02 That's tremendous.
10:04 See, it's interesting because I hadn't thought about
10:07 the whole autonomy thing.
10:09 When you're there,
10:12 I lived at home at that time but,
10:14 but if I had been a dorm student, you know,
10:16 you do learn to manage your time, you do have to,
10:19 you know, learn to prioritize,
10:22 you have to hone your people skills,
10:25 because you're living in a dorm with other people.
10:28 So there are things that,
10:30 skills that can be generalized into life.
10:34 Absolutely.
10:35 That you can use as you're, as you're getting older,
10:38 more mature, you can take those same skills and hone them.
10:41 So that, that is tremendous.
10:44 What would you say are some of the challenges
10:47 that face the young people that come to Pine Forge?
10:50 So there are two major hosts of challenges I'd say.
10:54 And the first is that
10:55 for many people in our community,
10:58 and when I say, the community,
10:59 I mean, the Adventist community.
11:00 The boarding school paradigm is not as exciting
11:05 as a day school option.
11:07 And so many families are nervous and anxious
11:10 about letting their children go off to a boarding school.
11:12 They want those final few years with them at home.
11:16 So that's one of our challenges so to speak.
11:19 The other challenge quite candidly
11:21 is getting used to an environment
11:24 that really espouses
11:25 all of the true ideals of Adventism.
11:29 When you first get to the campus,
11:30 you're like, "What?
11:32 It's vegetarian."
11:33 Or "Oh, ma'am, my skirt must be to my knee,"
11:36 which are, it sounds like such a silly thing
11:38 but if you are in a environment where you're used to that,
11:42 at first, it creates a little bit of reluctance
11:45 until you meet the upperclassmen
11:48 who'll explain it all to you,
11:50 until you're interacting with your teachers
11:53 on a day to day basis
11:54 and they're explaining
11:55 the Biblical principles behind it for you,
11:58 until you're meeting with alumni
12:00 who are able to recite scripture,
12:03 who are able to recite actual lines
12:06 and verbiage from different Ellen G. White documents,
12:09 who are able to share with you black history facts,
12:12 who can point to,
12:14 "This is what a Pine Forge man or woman looks like."
12:17 And that's why we wear our blazer, and our bow, tie,
12:20 and our sweaters.
12:21 All of those things then help the students
12:24 and the families understand, you know what?
12:26 Boarding school is a refining opportunity
12:30 and the Adventist lifestyle
12:33 that's a practical Christian one is desirable
12:37 especially in today's climate.
12:39 Hmm.
12:41 You know what? You are a great spokesperson.
12:47 No, really because your passion for it,
12:50 it's infectious, and that's what,
12:52 that's what you need as principal,
12:54 as headmistress of this school.
12:56 You have to have that passion for.
12:58 Where does that passion come from?
13:00 Let's talk a bit about your journey.
13:02 And we're gonna comeback to Pine Forge.
13:03 Okay.
13:05 Where did you, where did you grow up?
13:07 How did you get involved in education?
13:09 Let's talk about your journey.
13:11 Dr. Lewis, I have to tell you honestly,
13:13 I think I stumbled into education.
13:15 Really?
13:16 Well, nothing is ever stumbling with God.
13:18 Yeah, yeah. But, for me, it was stumbling.
13:20 He knew all along.
13:21 But I was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut.
13:24 I attended Faith Seventh-day Adventist church
13:26 my entire life.
13:28 And was really privileged to go
13:29 to a number of outstanding schools.
13:31 So I attended a private high school.
13:34 I was able to attend Yale University
13:36 which is also in Connecticut.
13:38 And that is when the stumbling happened.
13:41 You went to Yale? Wow! I went to Yale. I went to Yale.
13:44 And we'll talk about this later but my husband went to Yale
13:47 and we didn't meet each other while we were there.
13:50 So you know God was in the mix. Absolutely, absolutely.
13:54 Yeah, so I went to Yale,
13:55 and I really thought that I was going to be a lawyer,
13:59 and then maybe a judge.
14:00 I just had it in my mind that that's what I was going to do.
14:03 I applied to Vanderbilt Law School.
14:05 Got a full ride, my parents were excited
14:08 and I said, "You know, before I go to law school,
14:10 I'd like to try,
14:11 Teach for America
14:13 or New York City teaching fellows
14:14 and figure it out."
14:16 Long story short.
14:17 I did end up teaching in Brooklyn for one year,
14:20 and then two years, and then three years,
14:23 and then my parents said,
14:25 "Hey, what's going on with law school?
14:27 Are you going or not?"
14:28 And I realized that the Lord actually called me
14:31 not to go to law school but to be an educator.
14:34 And I realized that by having interactions
14:37 with students of color,
14:39 who said, "You've pushed me
14:40 to achieve and do far more than anyone else."
14:43 And knowing that I could have that impact,
14:46 made me realize,
14:48 "This is what God wants me to do."
14:49 Yes.
14:50 Now getting to Pine Forge was definitely a God moment.
14:55 Let's come back, let's, let's do
14:56 with your upbringing for a minute.
14:58 Sure. Were you in a Christian home?
14:59 Oh, yes. Oh, definitely.
15:02 So your parents gave you,
15:04 instilled in you the values of Christianity.
15:08 Oh, absolutely, absolutely.
15:10 My parents are Seventh-day Adventists.
15:12 Raised in a Seventh-day Adventist home
15:13 where literally the manchow was,
15:15 "Only what you do for Christ will last."
15:17 So as children we did everything.
15:20 Pathfinders, choirs, at one point
15:23 we sat on the church board, we AYS,
15:26 everything that we could possibly do,
15:28 my parents felt,
15:29 it was so important to have a church family,
15:32 to have relationships, to be in service,
15:36 and to really give your best for Christ.
15:38 And I can remember some stories of my parents going up,
15:43 where I would tell a children story,
15:44 or I would be on the rostrum, and I would do the scripture.
15:49 And afterwards, my parents would evaluate me.
15:53 They'd let me know how did I do.
15:55 Did I perform in the way that I should have?
15:57 And I'm laughing because
15:59 we do that to the kids at Pine Forge now.
16:03 It's a part of that grooming experience,
16:06 giving them that feedback to help them
16:08 be their absolute best.
16:10 That's tremendous, yes, yes.
16:11 So you grew up in a Christian home,
16:14 you decided that you were gonna go to law school.
16:17 You applied, got a full scholarship
16:21 but before you went, you started teaching?
16:23 Yes. And you just loved it?
16:25 Loved it, loved it.
16:27 What level were you teaching? High school.
16:29 So I taught...
16:30 What class? History. History.
16:32 I taught high school History to the 11th grade.
16:35 And...
16:37 Was it public school? It was public school.
16:39 In Brooklyn? In Brooklyn.
16:40 Oh. In Brownsville.
16:42 Brownsville, Brooklyn, so New Yorkers will understand.
16:46 And I remember my first few days at school,
16:49 preppy teacher,
16:53 glasses and the, you know, the whole nine.
16:55 And I told myself I wasn't going to smile
16:58 that first day at school.
16:59 So not only did I not smile,
17:01 I gave a quiz on the first day of school.
17:04 Oh, oh, they must've loved that.
17:06 I gave, I gave a Geography quiz and that same day,
17:09 some of the students who were very friendly
17:11 with the principal marched down to the office and said,
17:14 "She has to go."
17:15 She has to go, she has to go.
17:17 Now for my educators out there,
17:20 I did give them a chance to redeem themselves.
17:22 It was a Geography quiz.
17:23 And I did give them a chance to redeem themselves
17:25 after that initial shock.
17:27 But I wanted them to know that I was serious.
17:29 And I wanted them to know
17:31 that they had to be serious too.
17:34 That there was nothing more important
17:36 than the cultivation of their mind,
17:38 and, of course, in time,
17:39 they also learned that I was a Christian
17:41 and a Seventh-day Adventist.
17:43 And they asked me at some point to lead the Christian club.
17:46 So I was able to do my work ethic
17:49 and through our relationships,
17:50 begin to bear a witness
17:52 in direct ways and in indirect ways.
17:55 My time in Brooklyn I think, has been among my favorite time
17:58 because even now I see my students
18:01 and they are getting married, they're having children,
18:04 they're getting advanced degrees.
18:06 And they'll say, Miss Falkner then.
18:08 "Miss Falkner, you changed my life."
18:10 "Your notes for my class, I use them in college.
18:13 Because you were so hard on me in my writing,
18:15 I now, I'm doing X."
18:17 And that's way more rewarding
18:19 and than sitting in an office somewhere.
18:22 Oh, you know, it's so interesting
18:24 because many of, as you know being in education,
18:28 there's this educational divide
18:31 where a lot of our children are under achieving
18:34 and the misconception is that they can't learn.
18:37 Oh, that's not it.
18:39 That they're, absolutely not, that they're slow, that, no.
18:43 Many times we don't demand from them
18:46 what they can give or they don't have the tools.
18:49 Let's talk a little bit about the intercity children
18:51 because intercity children attend Pine Forge too.
18:54 Oh, yes.
18:55 And our audience is focused on the intercity.
18:59 Tell us about the challenges of educating intercity youth.
19:03 The primary thing and you've nailed it,
19:05 is a sense of willingness on the part of the educator.
19:09 As the adults,
19:11 we have literally all the power in our hands.
19:13 Children only rise
19:15 to whatever expectation you give of them.
19:18 Oh, say that again.
19:20 That is music to my ears, that is music to my ears.
19:22 Would you please say that again?
19:24 It's, it's true.
19:25 They only rise, or, and I'll say it,
19:27 unfortunately, fall to whatever expectation
19:30 we have of them as adults.
19:32 I've never heard a child who even if there was bickering
19:36 and groaning in the beginning,
19:37 who did not rise to the occasion.
19:40 And you see that at a place like Pine Forge,
19:43 here's a perfect example.
19:45 We have a student, he is now the USM body president.
19:48 And when he came to Pine Forge,
19:50 he was determined.
19:51 He said, "I'm going to graduate in three years.
19:54 I'm going to take classes at the community college.
19:57 I, in my future, I'm going to be
19:59 one of the Seventh-day Adventist senators
20:02 that would be in Congress."
20:04 And from the first day he came in,
20:06 I said, "Clifford Fields,
20:07 not only can you do it, you will do it."
20:11 And we've nurtured and encouraged him
20:13 every step of the way, he did skip a grade,
20:16 he has completed courses at the community college.
20:19 In fact, he's one of our students
20:21 who in our partnership
20:22 with the Montgomery County Community College
20:24 is taking science courses during the school year now.
20:28 He's done a wonderful job as USM President.
20:31 And, yes, he's achieving everything
20:34 that his heart has desired so far.
20:36 I believe it's because as adults, we believe him.
20:39 Yes, yes.
20:40 We believe him and quite honestly,
20:43 a Christian environment just doubles that.
20:46 It magnifies it
20:48 because we can pour into Clifford
20:50 who understands his capacity in Christ.
20:54 But we can also pour in someone who doesn't understand that.
20:57 We can expose him to scriptures that say,
20:59 "You are fearfully and wonderfully made."
21:02 We can show them Bible characters
21:04 who faced a host of challenges and still was able to overcome.
21:09 And by pouring that into them,
21:11 we can help them to believe and then in turn, to achieve.
21:15 I love, I love school.
21:17 I love it.
21:19 Well, you know what? I love school. Let me tell you.
21:21 I love the fact that we have an institution like Pine Forge
21:26 where you can pour into the kids.
21:29 Absolutely.
21:30 Where you can...
21:31 I did an interview,
21:33 this was a couple of years ago with the, an author,
21:38 Paul Tough, who wrote a book called,
21:40 "How Children Succeed."
21:41 And he said, "Academics are important
21:44 but the research is showing that it's beyond academics,
21:48 it's character development,
21:51 it's persistence, and perseverance,
21:54 and their whole ability to differ gratification,
21:57 and to focus, and to create integrity,
22:01 help them to be honest,
22:03 and all of these things and that,
22:07 that's what helps to create successful people.
22:09 That's why our schools like Pine Forge,
22:12 can create leaders
22:14 because the focus is not just academics,
22:17 it's character development.
22:19 And that's what you guys are doing,
22:21 I mean, I just think it's just phenomenal.
22:23 Yeah, it's exciting work.
22:25 And we literally take that approach
22:27 and we call it, 3H, in some cases, 4H.
22:30 In the first H is the Head, intellectual rigor,
22:33 critical thinking.
22:35 We want them to be career and college ready.
22:38 But you have to combine that with the second H
22:40 which is the Heart,
22:42 we want them to have the character
22:43 and the compassion of Christ in everything they do.
22:47 We want them to see the Creator's designs for them
22:51 and be able to fulfill that.
22:53 The third H is the Hand
22:55 and Pine Forge Academy is well-known for this.
22:58 Throughout the '60s and the '70s,
23:01 the work program was the life blood of the Academy.
23:04 So many of our students today,
23:07 their parents who are alumni at the school,
23:09 share with me working in the apple orchards,
23:13 working in Little Lake Industries creating furniture,
23:16 going down to the factories in Pottstown
23:19 and learning how hard work translates
23:23 into integrity of character.
23:25 And then learning other skills like perseverance
23:28 and preparation but, of course,
23:30 we also believe in that last H of health,
23:33 that vegetarian lifestyle,
23:35 that organic lifestyle, exercising, and, of course,
23:39 and it's so bright that the kids coming up all now,
23:42 understanding our role
23:44 as the stewards of God's green Earth.
23:46 Yes, yes, indeed.
23:48 Well, you brought some pictures?
23:49 Oh, yeah.
23:51 I wanna kind of look at those and discuss those
23:52 because this school is just,
23:56 Pine Forge is just an exceptional school
23:58 and we are so thankful to have you there.
24:01 It's good to be here.
24:03 It was just kind of, it's a blessing to have you.
24:05 So let's put up our pictures and take a look at, now, just,
24:09 let's just go though this,
24:10 this is Pine Forge
24:12 just celebrated an important anniversary.
24:15 Tell us about that.
24:16 Pine Forge Academy in September
24:18 celebrated its 70th anniversary.
24:20 Seventieth year. Wow!
24:22 Seventy years in existence.
24:24 And so we celebrated at our commencement in May
24:27 with key speakers,
24:29 Barry Black as well as the DeVon Franklin
24:31 and then we celebrated again during our alumni,
24:34 alumni association, forgive me,
24:38 festivities that happened in September.
24:41 And so what you'll see or saw in the photo
24:43 are the iconic Pine Forge Academy sweaters,
24:46 and bow ties.
24:48 So in alumni weekend,
24:50 everyone comes out with their sweaters
24:52 and their bow ties
24:53 and it's a symbol
24:55 of being the Pine Forge Academy men or women.
24:58 So it was a spectacular weekend,
25:01 gala, choir singing,
25:03 the kids had a great time and so did all the alumni.
25:06 Oh, that is so great.
25:08 Well, let's take a look at, let's go back in history.
25:11 The first student body, tell us about this.
25:14 This picture is taken outside of our very own Manor House.
25:20 The Manor House as I mentioned earlier is
25:22 about 300 years old.
25:24 Wow!
25:25 And it was there from Thomas Rudder
25:27 and from William Penn.
25:30 So here are all of the students
25:32 that trekked throughout the nation
25:35 to be among the first students at Pine Forge Academy.
25:38 What's important about this picture
25:39 that you can't see, is behind it,
25:41 is the Pine Forge bell.
25:43 They will ring the bell
25:45 like we're ringing our bells mechanically now
25:48 to symbol the beginning of the day,
25:49 the end of the day, but also for really fun events.
25:52 So when, when the choir came back from a trip,
25:55 they had to ring the bell.
25:57 Decades later, when the basketball team
25:59 would have a success or a great game,
26:01 they would ring the bell.
26:02 The bell became the icon of excitement on the campus.
26:07 It also became the icon of commencement in graduation.
26:11 So before the students
26:12 would actually take that last walk,
26:15 as you know, up the hill,
26:17 they would ring that bell on graduation day,
26:20 and walk up to our main building,
26:22 Wagner Hall,
26:23 symbolizing the end of their Pine Forge career.
26:25 Oh, nice, nice.
26:28 We have a picture of a graduation
26:30 that took place.
26:32 Now what graduation is this?
26:33 You know, I can't candidly remember
26:35 which one it is but the reason why
26:37 that photo is so important is
26:39 because those early commencements were
26:41 at Wagner Hall.
26:43 The significance of Wagner Hall is that the faculty, the staff,
26:47 the students, many supporting, supporters of the Academy
26:50 actually built the structure.
26:53 They built the structure...
26:54 The students and the faculty? Yes, they did. Yes, they did.
26:57 The Pine Forge Academy is known
26:59 for having an Industrial Arts program.
27:01 And so the walkways on the campus
27:03 and some of the buildings, that one in particular,
27:06 the students had a hand in actually constructing,
27:09 and so at that particular commencement,
27:11 it was the year
27:12 that the students were able to construct it,
27:14 it's videotaped
27:15 and they were able to etch their names
27:17 on secret parts of the building,
27:21 to commemorate the fact that
27:22 they literally helped bring their campus to life.
27:25 Wow, so is there still an Industrial Arts program
27:28 at Pine Forge?
27:30 There is, there is.
27:31 Part of our strategic efforts going forward is
27:34 actually to reshape and revitalize
27:36 that in two ways.
27:38 Number one, we intend to bring back our garden
27:41 and our apple orchards.
27:43 We are blessed to have received a USTA grant
27:46 that will allow us to do that.
27:48 And so we pile it at our garden in the previous summer
27:53 and we had wonderful results, great zucchini bread,
27:55 I should have brought you some.
27:56 Oh, wow!
27:58 And now in this upcoming summer,
28:00 we'll be transitioning to fully outline our garden
28:04 and our apple orchards.
28:06 That is tremendous.
28:08 We have a, a graphic of the mission of the school.
28:11 Let's put that up.
28:13 What is the mission of the school?
28:15 Simply put, the mission at Pine Forge Academy is
28:17 to prepare students spiritually, academically,
28:20 socially, physically, emotionally,
28:23 for service to God and to man.
28:26 That encapsulates it all. And that's true.
28:29 I mean, when you think about it,
28:31 it's all about service.
28:32 Absolutely.
28:33 Service to God and man, that's beautiful.
28:36 You have some very impressive alumni.
28:39 One of them spoke recently at, at your graduation,
28:43 tell us about that.
28:45 So the Pine Forge Academy graduate, I have to say it,
28:48 I've never heard of a school like this one.
28:51 Really and truly,
28:52 every Pine Forge graduate has gone on to do
28:54 amazing things.
28:56 And so we're blessed
28:57 that among so many of our outstanding graduates,
29:00 we do have a Senate chaplain,
29:02 Barry Black, as one of them.
29:04 He was a member of the class of 1966.
29:07 So during our 70th anniversary celebrations,
29:10 his class was having their 50th class anniversary.
29:14 Oh, nice.
29:15 This class is really well noted.
29:17 Primarily, because this was the class coming of age
29:20 during the Lyndon B. Johnson era
29:22 and administration.
29:24 So, many of them received funding to go on,
29:27 to receive college degrees as well as advanced degrees.
29:31 This class has doctorates, and doctors, medical doctors,
29:36 engineers, and lawyers, corporate executives,
29:40 and so forth.
29:41 And so, at our alumni weekend festivities
29:44 where Barry Black also spoke,
29:46 we happened to have one of the daughters
29:48 of Lyndon B. Johnson,
29:50 coming out to pay homage
29:52 to the class of 1966 for their amazing achievements
29:56 and for fulfilling her father's hopes and dreams
30:00 as he led and initiated so much of the efforts
30:03 that they were able to benefit from.
30:05 Right, because he signed the Civil Rights act.
30:06 That's right.
30:08 Isn't that something, so she came...
30:10 She did.
30:12 To see there was Lady Bird, who was the wife, was it Linda?
30:16 Yes, it was. Okay, all right.
30:19 And so she came and she gave a congratulatory speech.
30:22 She did, she gave a speech, she took pictures,
30:25 she was in all the entire event
30:27 and we're looking for her to spending sometime with her
30:29 in the upcoming year.
30:31 Nice, nice.
30:32 What do you see as the goals of Pine Forge?
30:38 Where do you want it to go?
30:40 Yeah.
30:41 We have five key elements to our strategic plan.
30:44 The first is we always want to preserve
30:47 the spiritual culture of the Academy.
30:49 Christ is the center of everything that we do,
30:51 and so every single event, activity, interaction,
30:56 must exude Christ first.
30:58 So it's important for us to maintain
31:00 the integrity of that,
31:01 especially in this day and age.
31:03 We do want to continue to have a college ready curriculum,
31:08 honor classes, AP classes, dual credit with Andrews,
31:12 with the local community college.
31:13 It's important to us.
31:15 We have our students take the ACT Aspire
31:18 multiple times in the school years,
31:19 so we can asses their learning.
31:21 And then as teachers, re-teach what they don't know
31:24 or what they need to know in order to prepare them
31:27 for that college rigor.
31:30 Let me just tell you something. Sure.
31:31 When, and we'll come, we'll come to number three
31:34 but when they come to Pine Forge,
31:37 sometimes if they're academically
31:39 not up to par,
31:41 what do you do to bring them up to that level?
31:44 A whole host of things.
31:45 So the first thing we do is we test them
31:47 at the very beginning.
31:48 And we test them against the ACT College writing
31:50 standards for their grade level.
31:51 So you establish a baseline to see where they are?
31:53 Absolutely, absolutely.
31:55 And then in the last two years, the teachers have,
31:58 begin to work together and what we call data teams,
32:01 and we use the teams to assess the data.
32:04 How are our students doing on the skills?
32:06 Where do we need remediation?
32:08 Where do we need advanced work?
32:10 We look at the class holistically
32:12 and we look at students individually.
32:13 And then we change our teaching.
32:15 It's that simple.
32:17 We adjust our teaching to meet the needs
32:20 that we see in the data.
32:22 See, that's tremendous.
32:24 And you're able to do that for the students
32:26 who are just a little bit below grade level or something,
32:30 to help to bring them up to grade level.
32:32 And the, the aim is actually to do it
32:34 for both ends of the spectrum.
32:35 Our kids who are easily bored, who get things right away,
32:40 who need a challenge, our goal and desire
32:43 is to create a customized experience
32:45 that meets the needs of each bracket of student.
32:49 Wow, so how do you do that?
32:52 How does the teacher do that?
32:54 If you have 15 students in the class and this is,
32:58 this is your basic class work,
33:01 how do you help the student that is above or below?
33:04 Planning.
33:06 Quite a bit of planning.
33:08 And so one of the things that we do
33:10 is spend an enormous amount of time
33:14 creating our assessments,
33:15 creating our rubrics,
33:17 thinking about our lesson plans,
33:19 we have what we called a Dean of Instruction on staff.
33:22 She meets with teachers individually
33:24 and coaches teachers through experiences.
33:26 We actually videotape lessons
33:28 and watch them not for student behavior
33:31 but to see what can the teacher do
33:33 a little bit differently
33:34 to meet the needs of the student
33:36 in the classroom.
33:38 So we use the whole host of best practices
33:40 that are focused on quality and effective pedagogy.
33:44 This is, this is so wonderful.
33:47 If I had, my kids are up and out, obviously.
33:51 I have grandchildren, I have a grandchild
33:53 now that I want to come there and this is an amazing...
33:59 It's amazing work you're doing, praise the Lord, it's amazing.
34:02 So we got to number three in the strategy.
34:06 The first is that it's Christ-centered.
34:07 Absolutely.
34:09 Right, give us the second, and the third...
34:11 The second has strong academics
34:13 for career and college readiness.
34:15 And the third is talent.
34:17 Talent. Talent.
34:18 So, great teachers create a wonderful environment
34:23 that produces great kids.
34:25 And so our goal is to always nurture,
34:28 provide professional development,
34:29 support, booster,
34:32 encourage our faculty and our staff,
34:35 especially in a boarding environment
34:37 where they literally do it all.
34:40 Yes.
34:41 In the interview process, we say, "Okay,
34:43 get ready to be a mom or dad.
34:45 Get ready to be a bus driver.
34:47 Get ready to be a carpool leader.
34:49 Get ready to be a club leader.
34:51 Oh, by the way, you're probably coaching us a sport."
34:54 There is so many acts that faculty and staff, they were,
34:59 and I'm always amazed at them
35:02 and I try to say, thank you,
35:03 and I probably need to say, thank you, even more
35:06 because they do so much, they do so much.
35:08 Tell us about your faculty.
35:09 They are amazing. I love them.
35:11 Quite candidly.
35:13 Couldn't ask for more reflective,
35:15 honest, communicative,
35:18 passionate set of adults who put Christ first
35:22 and want the best for the kids.
35:24 We have a whole host of different personalities.
35:27 Mr. Fielder, take it for example,
35:28 he's our vice principal, he's been there for 30 years.
35:32 All four of his children have gone through the Academy
35:35 and many people watching who know him,
35:37 will know him as Coach Fielder.
35:39 Because he was the first
35:40 to bring athletics to the school.
35:42 The students in the beginning would play
35:44 with the church league and now they play
35:46 with the local high school inter,
35:49 scholastically,
35:50 under the current athletic director,
35:52 Eric Cantrell.
35:53 Another personality of source is Miss Wilson,
35:56 it's Vanessa Wilson.
35:57 She's our History teacher and she brings history to life.
36:02 Most recently the students did
36:03 a reenactment of the underground railroad
36:06 at the Manor House and videotaped it.
36:09 Another personality, Dr. Andrew Marshall,
36:12 he hails from Jamaica, West Indies,
36:14 and he's our choir director.
36:16 And he does a fantastic job
36:19 of not just creating a quality sound
36:22 but including band and orchestra music.
36:25 So you have a well rounded experience
36:28 when you go to a Pine Forge choir
36:30 and everyone else is going to be upset
36:32 that I didn't call them by name.
36:34 I know, I've put you in a really bad spot.
36:36 It doesn't mean that they're not doing a fabulous job.
36:38 No, they're doing a great job.
36:40 You just picked a few,
36:41 you just picked a few from, that's great.
36:43 That is so great because, really,
36:46 in order to be there
36:48 and to do that job, it's a calling.
36:51 It is. It's not just a job.
36:52 Oh, no.
36:54 It's a, it has to be,
36:55 because you are wearing so many different hats.
36:57 You are the counselor, mom and dad aren't there,
37:00 and these are young kids.
37:01 So they need somebody to talk to,
37:03 they need all of that,
37:05 the counsel, but also the shaping,
37:07 the sculpting into tomorrow's leaders.
37:12 Absolutely.
37:13 And our deans do a wonderful job at that
37:16 because they are the moms and dads of the campus
37:18 and so everything from having worship experiences in the dorm
37:22 that are catering to an immediate need,
37:25 something that they're sensing
37:26 on the pulse of what the students
37:28 are feeling or thinking,
37:29 to walking the hallways and making sure
37:31 that someone has on their blazer.
37:34 They literally are the mom and the dad of the campus.
37:38 We have a picture of some of today's students
37:40 and them in their sweaters,
37:42 and their blazers, and all that.
37:44 Let's show that.
37:46 Look at that. Yeah.
37:47 So this is actually a photo from our graduating class,
37:51 the most recent graduating.
37:52 Okay. The class of 2016.
37:54 Okay.
37:55 And this class continued that heritage and legacy
37:58 of 100% college acceptance
38:01 and so they were accepted to a whole host of colleges,
38:04 Oakwood, Southern, New York University,
38:07 Cornell University, Hampton,
38:10 I can't begin to name all of them.
38:13 And so we're excited by their success and their achievement.
38:16 It's a 100%.
38:17 A 100% acceptance to college, a 100%.
38:20 And this is, this is a Pine Forge legacy
38:22 that I walked into.
38:24 So it's just an honor
38:25 to be a part of the legacy of Pine Forge, 100%.
38:29 100%.
38:30 Tell us some stories of some of the students
38:32 that have gone to Pine Forge and, and their successes.
38:37 Oh, there are so many.
38:38 Our students have gone on to do a tremendous number of things
38:42 and from our students who recently graduated,
38:44 who have developed apps for smart phones,
38:48 who are now marketing themselves as a brand,
38:51 creating their own entrepreneur opportunities,
38:54 who have become journalists
38:56 or photo journalists developing their websites,
38:59 who've, have gone on to places that may not be Adventist,
39:02 let's say, Morehouse and Spelman,
39:04 and they're winning competitions for singing,
39:08 for performing, for writing, they achieve a great deal,
39:11 our recent graduates.
39:13 And some of our not so recent graduates
39:16 are equally well known
39:18 in our leading churches, conferences, and schools,
39:22 most knowably is Pastor Myron Edmonds.
39:25 In this area, he participated in our commencement
39:28 just the year previous.
39:30 And he is doing an outstanding work
39:33 in the Ohio region.
39:34 So they're doing well.
39:36 Yeah, you know...
39:38 They're doing well.
39:39 Again, it's beyond academics.
39:42 It is. It's just beyond academics.
39:44 It's the whole legacy that that school creates
39:48 by the grace of God,
39:50 because again, it's Christ-centered.
39:52 It is Christ-centered. It is.
39:54 So what would you say to that parent
39:56 who has been thinking about putting their child
40:00 in a Christian school
40:02 but it's just not there?
40:04 Talk into that camera,
40:07 and talk to that parent that's thinking
40:10 about putting their child into Pine Forge.
40:14 So one of the things I'd share with that parent is,
40:17 that initial fear or anxiety you may feel
40:20 when it comes to relinquishing your child,
40:23 give that over to Christ.
40:25 Because that fear and that anxiety is unwanted
40:31 because the boarding school environment
40:33 is where the child is cultivated,
40:37 where the character is refined, where the mind is sharpened,
40:41 and partly so,
40:43 because the child is leaving home.
40:45 And I know that sounds crazy
40:47 and you feel as if
40:48 you'll never be able to have that interaction
40:50 with your child, that's not true.
40:52 You'll be there every step of the way,
40:55 but by allowing them to go to a boarding school,
40:57 you give them a headstart on life.
41:00 They're like a Joseph, they're like a Moses,
41:03 going out into an experience
41:05 where they'll be cultivated carefully by Christ,
41:09 to exhibit characteristics that their peers won't have,
41:13 because they wouldn't have had that experience.
41:16 So to family members, I'd say, let go of the fear.
41:20 You can trust us and in so doing,
41:23 you're giving your child something that no other school,
41:27 no other experience can give them.
41:30 An opportunity to grow in Christ, to be refined,
41:35 to learn at high levels,
41:37 and to learn how to be an independent leader.
41:40 You can only do that in a Christian boarding school.
41:43 That is great, that is great.
41:46 What is for you,
41:50 when you, when you go out every morning
41:53 and you sit in that chair,
41:57 what, what are some of the feelings
41:59 that you get everyday as you're at Pine Forge?
42:02 I'm excited.
42:04 I'm always excited about what God can do
42:06 and what He's already doing.
42:08 Pine Forge Academy has had so many blessings
42:11 in the last two and a half years,
42:13 from the USTA. grant that I shared,
42:16 to a very successful
42:17 National Pine Forge Academy Alumni Association Campaign,
42:21 that will bring $270,000
42:24 worth of renovations to the campus.
42:27 And most notably, you are the first to know,
42:30 so we're kind of announcing it on your show.
42:32 Oh, yeah.
42:33 A partnership with one of our local companies,
42:36 TE Connectivity,
42:37 where they have pledged a $50,000 grant to the Academy
42:41 to create a TE Stem Space for Robotics
42:46 and for Engineering on the campus.
42:48 Wonderful.
42:49 It's exciting news, or the fact that in less than a year,
42:53 in the upcoming school year,
42:55 we'll be able to have our organic garden
42:58 and our students will be able to learn
43:00 the benefits of working the land
43:02 and get us back a little bit to our traditional EGY routes,
43:05 when it comes to industry for our students,
43:09 that makes me excited to go to work.
43:13 Absolutely.
43:14 Because those things are exciting
43:17 in and of themselves.
43:18 But the fact that our students will benefit from that
43:22 and they'll be stretched, and they'll grow,
43:25 and then here is the kicker,
43:27 that exposure
43:29 will help them become their ultimate best selves,
43:32 that makes me even more excited.
43:35 Oh, that's so great.
43:37 So, so let's come back to you again
43:40 because this whole idea of, you know, your excitement,
43:45 your passion about these young people,
43:47 it so shows,
43:49 when I brought my granddaughter to meet you,
43:51 you were just so personal
43:54 and so real and just so lovely toward her.
43:57 And I just feel like this is the person
44:00 that needs to be sitting in that chair.
44:02 This is a calling, it's so obvious to me
44:05 that you were called to do what you're doing.
44:08 How did you get to Pine Forge from being, you know,
44:13 just teaching, how did you get there?
44:15 Well, what I will say before I answer that is,
44:18 that's actually one of the toughest parts of the job,
44:21 is because when you're a headmaster or a principal,
44:23 you actually spend most of your time with adults
44:25 and I love them, to death, it's great.
44:28 But sometimes you miss that classroom interaction,
44:31 so I walk down the hall and I'm like,
44:33 "Hi, honey, how is it going, sweetheart?"
44:35 And the kids are like,
44:36 "Why is she so happy to see us in the hallway?"
44:39 It's because I miss that interaction
44:42 because as a headmistress,
44:44 you spend most of your day working with adults
44:46 which is great too.
44:48 But back to your point, you know,
44:49 literally the Lord spoke to me
44:51 and I'm not saying that in a facetious way,
44:54 I mean with all candor.
44:56 I was a principal in Trent, in New Jersey,
44:59 at a Charter high school that I had founded.
45:02 And I'd been at that school for about
45:03 four and a half, five years.
45:05 And I felt on one particular day,
45:07 restless in my spirit,
45:09 so much so that I felt the Holy Spirit saying,
45:11 "Go home."
45:13 And it was a summer,
45:14 so there were no kids on the campus.
45:15 I went home.
45:17 I left Trent and drove all the way to my home
45:18 in Philadelphia.
45:20 And I had been reading a fictionalized account
45:22 of Joseph at the time.
45:24 And I plopped onto the couch
45:26 and I started reading it and the Holy Spirit said,
45:27 "No, I want you to spend time with me.
45:29 I want you to pray."
45:31 And so I immediately began to pray.
45:34 And this particular prayer,
45:36 I guess, made me feel a little sleepy
45:37 because I feel the sleep.
45:40 And two hours literally to the dot later,
45:43 a girlfriend called and woke me up.
45:45 I said, "Hi."
45:47 She said, "I'm thinking about you
45:48 and I felt impressed to call you.
45:50 Do you know that Pine Forge Academy
45:51 is looking for a principal?"
45:53 I said, "No, I didn't know that."
45:55 And after we got off the phone, I said,
45:57 "Is that why you disturbed my spirit, Lord?
46:01 Is that why you sent me home early, Lord?"
46:04 And I prayed about it
46:05 and the overwhelming peace of mind that came to me,
46:10 I knew right away.
46:11 So I went back to work the next day, thankfully,
46:14 it was a summer and I said, "This is so unorthodox,
46:18 and I don't want to feel like
46:20 I'm leaving the school at a lurch.
46:22 I've trained these vice principals
46:24 to take my place if I'm ever to leave.
46:26 And I feel that God's calling me to leave."
46:30 Now the interesting part about that is
46:32 I had met superintendent Den, love her, she's awesome.
46:35 How is she? She is awesome.
46:36 She and I went to Oakwood together, so...
46:37 So you know her? She is awesome.
46:39 Oh, I know her. She is wonderful.
46:40 I had met her through another school project,
46:42 unrelated, few months previous.
46:46 And I found out, after I applied
46:48 and earned the position or received the position,
46:52 that when she saw my name
46:54 come through with the application,
46:56 she and a few colleagues began to walk the school
47:00 at Pine Forge seven times a day,
47:03 praying that the Lord would send me,
47:06 move on my heart and send me to the Academy.
47:11 She already knew you.
47:13 She had known me from one brief interaction
47:16 with another Adventist school project
47:18 in the city of Philadelphia.
47:20 And the Lord had impressed
47:22 and prayed that this girl will come,
47:24 and can you, can you...
47:26 It literally... I can't even speak.
47:28 it literally gives me shivers to think about that.
47:32 It, it just gives me...
47:33 That's how I ended up at Pine Forge.
47:35 Walking around the school and praying,
47:38 walking around seven times.
47:40 And praying, seven times, seven times.
47:42 She said, when my application came through, she said,
47:44 "Is this whom you're sending, Lord?"
47:46 And she prayed.
47:48 And as she was praying, I was answering prayer.
47:51 I didn't think about Pine Forge until the Lord said,
47:54 "It's, it's time to go.
47:56 It's time to go."
47:57 Wow! What a great story!
48:00 What a great story!
48:01 So how long have you been there?
48:04 Two and a half years now, yes.
48:06 You are outstanding and, and while there,
48:11 you have another great part of your story,
48:13 tell us about the personal side.
48:16 Well, while there, before arriving at Pine Forge,
48:19 I met my husband,
48:21 who wasn't my husband at the time.
48:23 So while there, I have married my husband Casey Hughes
48:27 who also attended Yale University,
48:29 we overlapped by two years.
48:31 How did you meet him?
48:32 We lived in adjacent dorms at Yale.
48:35 He's from Connecticut and I'm from Connecticut
48:37 and we still didn't meet.
48:38 You're both Adventists?
48:40 Was he an Adventist?
48:41 No, no, no. Okay.
48:43 And so I think that's just God,
48:45 we literally met in a Barnes and Nobles,
48:48 Starbucks, in Philadelphia, at the book store.
48:52 Wow! At the book store.
48:54 We had a mutual colleague
48:56 who ended up performing at our wedding
48:58 but that's how we met.
49:00 And so while at Pine Forge, married my husband,
49:03 and literally had a honeymoon baby,
49:09 within 11 months of our wedding,
49:11 we had our first son,
49:14 who's now almost five months old.
49:16 Yeah. That was so sweet.
49:18 So you were a new mom.
49:20 New wife. New wife.
49:22 And new principal.
49:23 And new principal.
49:25 Your plate isn't full.
49:28 It is full, it is full.
49:29 And, you know, I have to say,
49:31 my hats off to every working mom out there.
49:34 I've learned so much about myself.
49:37 What have you learned?
49:38 You know, I've, I've learned
49:40 that sometimes you wanna do it all
49:43 as a professional and as a woman
49:45 and as a, an ambitious young person.
49:48 And that you have to draw close to Christ
49:51 to learn what to prioritize.
49:55 And what will have the greatest impact
49:56 and quite candidly,
49:58 what He wants you to do versus what you want to do.
50:01 So, so new motherhood has really been teaching me
50:04 how to balance,
50:05 how to prioritize, how to make time,
50:08 for my personal time with Christ,
50:10 set before my family time with Christ.
50:13 And then quite candidly,
50:15 I think that it's also helping me to understand
50:18 how to empathize with others in a way
50:20 that I never could have imagined before,
50:23 I've always loved kids,
50:25 and I've always been very careful
50:28 to treat other people's children
50:30 as the gems that they are.
50:32 But when you have your own,
50:36 you take that even more seriously,
50:38 because I want everyone to treat
50:41 my own little precious son
50:42 like the wonderful child of God that he is.
50:45 And so it makes me even that much more conscientious
50:49 to do the same with every child at Pine Forge.
50:51 Oh, that's so good.
50:53 How do you discipline the students?
50:57 If a student is really out of control,
51:00 like what are some of the modes of discipline
51:02 that you use there?
51:03 Well, there is so many rules,
51:05 because, or so means rather because children are different,
51:08 and so we can't treat children equally,
51:11 we have to treat them equitably,
51:13 giving them each what they need.
51:15 So we operate within the context of the rules,
51:17 of course, but we do try our best to hold the bar
51:21 knowing that they'll rise to the bar
51:24 but at the same time, we try to listen and hear
51:27 and be willingly to compromise.
51:30 Now let me be very careful what I mean by that.
51:33 We have something at the Academy
51:35 called Dean's Council,
51:36 faculty and staff sit on the Dean's Council
51:39 and then administer a consequence
51:41 based on the behavior,
51:43 and a parent also sits on that council.
51:45 Last school year,
51:46 after speaking with me, the USM.
51:48 officer and president said, "Mrs. Hughes,
51:50 we think we would like a hand in it as well."
51:52 And so we went back
51:54 to the Student Body Constitution
51:56 and read that there is
51:58 a student disciplinary council as well.
52:01 And so we began to train them to actually hear cases
52:05 and then administer what we call,
52:07 restorative justice.
52:09 Colleagues, students, hearing each other
52:12 advising and counseling each other,
52:14 and then, of course, with the faculty approval,
52:17 administering a preset consequence of sort.
52:20 Last school year, we found that it worked very well,
52:23 it allowed the students to have a bind to the culture,
52:26 the rules, and the framework of the school.
52:30 Really good, really good.
52:32 So is there...
52:36 Like a timeout,
52:39 you know, is there,
52:43 I'm just trying to get a center
52:44 because, because the natural inclination is,
52:47 okay, so if my kid is out of control,
52:49 what's gonna happen to him?
52:50 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
52:51 There is a fear, you know,
52:53 like how is he or she gonna be brought back into...
52:56 Into the fold. Yeah.
52:57 So we do try to do things in a way that's compassionate,
53:01 has a character of Christ.
53:03 What I mean by that is before,
53:04 the first system is called the demerit system.
53:07 Before a student can receive a demerit for any infarction,
53:11 every faculty member including me,
53:12 were asked to take 24 hours to really pause, think, pray,
53:19 before we administer
53:20 the discipline.
53:22 The idea is that we never want to consequence
53:25 or punish in anger or in emotion,
53:28 that's not how Christ operated.
53:30 Now once those demerits are administered,
53:33 they have a range of consequences
53:35 depending on the size.
53:37 It might just be a warning, "You've got some demerits."
53:39 It might be, "You have too many demerits.
53:41 You can't go to Open Rack
53:43 or the Saturday night activity."
53:45 It might be, "You have quite a few demerits
53:47 and you need to go to Dean's Council.
53:50 And you might need to go home to reflect for a little bit."
53:54 But it ranges, but we, we try to really start small.
53:58 Having those conversations,
53:59 having those relationships where as adults,
54:02 we can really talk with you and help you to understand
54:06 and then having someone on the campus
54:08 who can be your liaison, who can mediate for you,
54:12 quite frankly but usually ends up
54:14 being one of the vice principals
54:16 or one of the deans.
54:17 But we're trying actually in this school year,
54:21 not just to focus on demerits but also focus on merits.
54:26 Okay.
54:27 Because there are so many more students
54:30 doing what they're supposed to.
54:32 There are so many more hidden warriors
54:35 and heroes who are always doing the right thing.
54:39 You can ask them, what would Jesus do?
54:40 And they're doing it.
54:42 Oh, that's so good.
54:43 And so for those students,
54:44 we're trying to focus on awarding them with merits,
54:46 giving them incentives,
54:48 allowing them to have benefits on campus
54:51 that others might not have
54:52 because they've earned it.
54:54 That is so good.
54:56 So your whole,
55:00 your whole goal
55:01 really for taking the school to the next level
55:05 is to stay focused on Christ and then the 3H's, right?
55:11 And then you just wanna see your kids succeed.
55:16 That just seems to be where your heart is,
55:18 let's see these kids be their best,
55:21 the best that they can be.
55:25 What students do you have that,
55:27 you could talk about in these last couple of minutes,
55:30 that stand out as just, they started not achieving
55:36 and ended up being super achievers.
55:39 There are a host of that. Give us one.
55:41 There's one I'm thinking of right now,
55:43 who recently graduated
55:45 and he's now at Lincoln University.
55:49 I'm just smiling
55:50 because he would come to my office
55:53 or go to the dean's office
55:54 and complain about a few teachers.
55:57 And his complaint was they were pushing him too hard,
56:00 or the work was too much,
56:01 or he didn't like so and so's tone of voice,
56:04 or whatever it would be.
56:06 And I'm laughing and smiling
56:08 because he would really give some of our teachers a run
56:10 for their money.
56:13 And just as he was probably sharing
56:14 some words with the deans,
56:16 the teachers are probably sharing some words with me,
56:17 what are we gonna do with so and so?
56:19 What are we gonna do about such and such?
56:21 Now I'm smiling so hard because when we visited him
56:25 and his colleagues who are at Lincoln University,
56:28 our whole staff went, we went to meet our alumni,
56:32 our recent alumni and say to them,
56:34 "What are we doing well
56:36 and what do we need to do differently?"
56:38 Nice. You are our product.
56:40 You're in college now.
56:42 Based on our training, what can we do better?
56:45 And what do we do well?
56:46 And he paused for a little bit
56:48 among the group of four students
56:49 and then he said, "I would like to say that
56:52 you guys do a really good job, disciplining."
56:57 We all laughed and we said, "What do you mean by that?"
56:59 He said, "Well, I don't just mean the discipline part.
57:01 I just mean that you were so tough and hard on us,
57:05 that now I see it was all worth it
57:08 and everything that you've instilled in me,
57:10 I'm actually doing now in college,
57:13 so I tell you, don't change that part."
57:16 Oh, that's great, that's great.
57:17 I wanna put your address up real quick on the screen. Okay.
57:19 Because, folks are gonna wanna,
57:22 they're gonna wanna get in touch with you.
57:24 You can reach Nicole Hughes at Pine Forge Academy
57:27 by going to the website PineForgeAcademy.org
57:31 or email at PFA@PineForgeAcademy.org,
57:36 or call (610) 326-5800.
57:41 Or again (610) 326-5800.
57:46 Thank you so much, my dear, for visiting
57:50 and for just sharing your insight.
57:52 It was absolutely wonderful.
57:54 May God bless you.
57:56 And may God bless you.
57:57 Join us next time 'cause you know what?
58:00 It just wouldn't be the same without you.


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Revised 2017-03-20