Participants: Yvonne Lewis (Host), Nicole Hughes
Series Code: UBR
Program Code: UBR000217A
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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. |
Revised 2017-03-20