You would think that counseling with distraught parents of teenagers would be full of powerfully sad moments, but in fact, even though I counsel with them during particularly upsetting periods of their lives - since we offer a comprehensive solution to their overwhelming need, there are numerous moments which bring satisfaction and hope for the future.
One of the most gratifying moments of my duties as an Admissions Counselor is accompanying parents as they visit Turning Winds Academic Institute for the first time. Although it comes during a time of great personal turmoil, it is satisfying to know that we offer a solution to the problems they are currently encountering with their child.
The most visibly moving times for parents is depicted in the recent interview YouTube Videos , where we show four of our students answering questions that parents often ask when meeting with the students for the first time. I usually sit quietly as visiting parents ask the students questions, so I have a chance to observe the parents as they talk to the kids.
During those interviews, I see the hope in their eyes, the poignant wistfulness, as they realize that their child is now exhibiting the same behaviors that these students used to show before they came to Turning Winds Academic Institute. As the students talk about their past, the parents identify with the situation these students recently found themselves. But as they talk to the kids and hear their mature, intuitive answers to questions, they almost visibly lean forward with a deep longing in their eyes, hoping to draw nearer to the students. You can see the hope in their eyes as they realize that they would give anything if their child at home could demonstrate the same understanding and maturity these students are now exhibiting.
The most poignant moment is when we go to leave and the parent shakes each of the kid’s hands and tells them that they would gladly take any one of them home, that they are proud of them and wish them only the best for their now promising future. They walk quietly back to the car, wondering if they can even dare to hope that their child, by attending Turning Winds, will become anywhere near the same as the kids with whom they just spoke.
I wish each of you could sit in on the interviews I have had the privilege of attending. To realize that there is hope, hope for the future of our youth who have made some serious choices which jeopardized their future happiness. People can change for the better, given the right chance to start over, clean the slate and learn new methods of coping with the challenges of life. Our mission at Turning Winds Academic Institute is to make this world a better place to live, one life at a time by rescuing children from crisis, reuniting their belief in their own potential and reuniting them with their families, and I am blessed to be a small part of that process.
Marcine Holmes
Admissions Counselor
