Turning Winds Academic Institute Spartans

The anxiety was running high as nine students from Turning Winds Academic Institute eagerly awaited for The Spartan Sprint Race to begin.  The atmosphere was booming with loud music and over 6000 people in attendance- it almost felt like being at a concert.  With about 4.8 miles of rough, muddy, terrain and 15 obstacles, the course was sure to be a challenge for even the fittest and athletic person.  Every 15 minutes, a group of two-hundred “die-hard” Spartans was released onto the muddy, obstacle course.  The Spartan Sprint race was located in Big Fork, Montana on private land.

As the announcer signaled for the race to begin, TWAI students immediately trudged through a pool of murky water followed by a very steep hill climb that appeared to last forever.  Our students were organized into two teams:  Team Gladiator (the boy's group) and Team Spirit (girls group). 

The teams broke away from one another early on as they were determined to push one another beyond their limits while working to finish the challenging course with their fearless leaders.  The obstacles were difficult but the terrain was by far the most strenuous aspect of the course.  The one-mile, hill climb was slippery and steep.  This challenge would have broken most people, but our teams prevailed through this great challenge. 

The obstacles consisted of the following:  carrying a 30lb sandbag up a hill; the rope climb; the javelin throw; log carry/roll; wall climbs; ramp climb as well as the net climb; log hurdles and crawling under the barbwire.  Perhaps the most difficult obstacle at the Spartan Race was crawling under the barbwire.  The first set of barbwire was easily accomplished, but to climb over the hay bales only to find two more sets of barbwire was a bit devastating.  After completing this arduous task, which absolutely wore the strength right out of your arms, the following challenge included the rope climb.  Needless to say, there were not very many people who could climb the rope.  For those participants who were unable to complete an obstacle such as the rope climb, they were required to complete thirty burpees before moving onto the next challenge.

After climbing the last wall, the finish line was in sight.  Prior to crossing the finish line, all participants had to overcome one last obstacle – jumping over a fire!  Both teams finished what they started and were exhilarated upon completing one of the most challenging courses in the world.  Team Gladiator

finished in 1 hour and 29 minutes while Team Spirit completed the race in 2 hours and 13 minutes.  Wow, what an accomplishment to all of the students and staff who completed The Montana Spartan Sprint – 2014.  For more information about The Turning Winds School, please call 800-845-1380.

Challenging Yet Inspiring: Our Trip to Hells Canyon

Challenging yet Inspiring -our trip to Hells Canyon. 

Inspiring moments from our trip to Hells Canyon, were witnessed throughout the expedition through various experiences which included the following:  doing the unthinkable – backpacking 18 miles in three days; overcoming doubts, such as, climbing a steep hill and then climbing another steep and yet another hill without giving up; having a positive outlook and attitude throughout the entire trip; inspirational discussions that touched our hearts and minds; completing thought provoking assignments such as outdoor metaphors and the time-capsule letter; growing stronger as a group and learning to accept people for who they are despite their differences; and personal reflection time.  We at Turning Winds Academic Institute consider's these experiences as invaluable opportunities to grow emotionally, physically and spiritually.

Some of the highlights of the trip included: reaching our destinations, playing capture the flag, harvesting remnant volcanic ash from Mt. Mazama’s eruption that was found inside a small cave near Carter’s Mansion; the tremendous views throughout the canyon; completing the expedition; having breakfast at John’s house on his birthday; and going out to eat and watching a movie at the theater.

One of the great tools that we use in teaching our students, is the use of experiential education - providing learning experiences in an informal setting free, from walls and staleness.  One particular assignment which is fun to participate in, is the writing of outdoor metaphors.  An outdoor metaphor is defined by relating the backpacking experience into some aspect to our life.  For example, the stars that can be seen in the night sky may represent all of the people in our lives that guide us with their good light, especially through dark periods of our life.   Excerpts from the outdoor metaphor writing assignments include:  “Grass represents the soft, caring side of myself,” “tent represents a safe shelter,” “our backpacks are like all [of] our troubles weighing down on us,” “wind [represents] struggles in life,” “down-hill, the break that comes after all the hard work,” “flowers represent the good parts of life,” “traction on shoes are the support of friends that keep me from slipping.”

Some of the daily devotionals which we discussed included: Staying positive when the going get's tough; If only I had changed myself first...; A Tale of Two Wolves; The power of persistence and determination.  

Cold Snow and Hot Springs

A group of young men and women from Turning Winds Academic Institute took an overnight retreat to Bighorn Christian Campground - the campground specializes in promoting outdoor education.  The campus was covered in snow as a storm had just come through the day before.  The cabins were comfortable; the food was great and the staff were friendly. Furthermore, we were provided with our own private conference room which had a wood burning fireplace.

We spent the evening at Hot Springs, Montana at Symes soaking in the mineral pools.  Just like goldilocks had to try all three porridges, our students had to try all three hot springs with each one a bit warmer than the other.  One of the students even rolled in the powdery snow and jumped backed into the hot springs.  We all had a delightful time!

Once back at Bighorn Campground, we filled up on hot chocolate, played board games and enjoyed the warmth from the crackling fire inside the conference room.  At about midnight, we retired for the evening as we knew that breakfast would be served early in the morning.

The following day, our group snowshoed up to Cascade Falls which was about a 3 mile roundtrip hike.  The scenery was beautiful as there was about one foot of freshly fallen snow.  The trees and bushes were all covered in white and the surroundings were quieted because of all the snow.  Once we reached Cascade Falls, the view was breathtaking and surreal.

At Turning Winds Academic Institute, we strive to bridge the gap of failure with success.  We accomplish this task through a variety of modalities of treatment: outdoor education, leadership
development, character education and creating progress through therapy and educational achievement.  For more information on our therapeutic boarding school, please contact us at:  800-845-1380.

Dashing Through The Snow

It was a cold wintery day for the students at Turning Winds Academic Institute but the experience of snowmobiling was enough to warm their hearts and minds -the thought of being in the cold quickly melted away with excitement. 

There were many boys and girls who were able to experience the thrill of powering the snow machines across the expansive fields while maneuvering in and out of the woods as they glided over the thick blanket of snow.  Their eyes were lit up with joy…”oh what fun it is to ride on a” six hundred and fifty-horse snowmobile, was the song that was sung that day.

For more information about our exceptional boarding school, please contact us at:  800-845-1380.

A Cowboy Experience

TWAI Girl's Experience Horseback Riding

On a cool crisp morning, a group of anxious girls set out from Turning Winds Academic Institute to get a taste of the cowboy life by visiting The Western Pleasure Guest Ranch located in Sandpoint, Idaho.  The ranch is a place where anyone young and old can enjoy a little bit of western life with such winter activities as:  horseback riding and sleigh riding.    This ranch has been around for nearly a hundred years and has been a Dude Ranch for wranglers and guests alike.  With the the backdrop of surrounding mountains, barns and rustic log homes and fenced in hay fields, with horses galloping along on this nearly 1000 acre site, you can only imagine what the cowboy life is like.  

The girls were prepared for this rustic adventure.  They were dressed for the occasion each one of them wearing the signature hard wear of a cowboy- the cowboy hat!  After going through some horseback training, the group saddled up and began their adventure meandering through trees, and along dirt roads.  The ride was quieted as the sounds of the day were muffled by the snowflakes falling from sky.  For the most part, the horses were very cooperative and navigated effortlessly.  At times, you could even let go of the reins and the horses seemed to know exactly where they were going.  The grins on the faces of the girls were evident throughout the horseback riding even while the snow fell all around them.  

After horseback riding, the girls enjoyed the unique comfort that can only be found in the warmth of a log home.  The girls sipped on delicious hot chocolate and the sounds of laughter rang out as stories were told of their rustic experiences with being cowboys just for the day.  

Turning Winds Academic Institute believes that meaningful activities promote healthy, healing in the lives of all people regardless of age or circumstances.  For more information on our therapeutic school, please call:  800-845-1380.

The Big Catch of The Day

The Big Catch of The Day! 

On a cool Fall October morning, a group of seven students from Turning Winds Academic Institute boarded the Seagull Charters in Hope, Idaho with Captain Ken.  Lake Pend Oreille is home to the some of the largest fresh water fish ever caught.  In 1947, the world record Rainbow Trout was caught in this lake weighing in at 37 lbs and in 1995 a lake trout weighing 43lbs. 6oz. was caught there as well.

The boys set out to conquer the waters of Lake Pend Oreille with the desire to catch the "big" one.  As the fog began go give way to the beaming rays of sunshine, the lake seemed to sparkle.  With the help of Captain Ken, the young men rigged their fishing poles and began to patiently wait for the catch.  As time went on, one of the boy's yelled out, "I've got a fish, it's a big one."  He began to reel in the line and all the other boys stood around him in excitement -waiting and wondering just how big the fish really was.  As soon as the boys saw the fish come to the surface, laughter erupted as they realized it was not as big as the young man had first thought, only 13 inches in length.

Although the first catch was much smaller than anticipated, the best was yet to come.  Two other fish were caught in the next hour both of which were rather large, about five pounds each.  Unfortunately, those fish had to be released as one was a Bull Trout and the other fish was a Cutthroat Trout - both protected in the waters of Lake Pend Oreille.  The remainder of the day was spent enjoying the surrounding, mountainous views and relaxing in the warmth of the cabin on the Seagull Ship.

Spending quality time engaging in wholesome recreational activities, promotes healing.  To learn more about our dynamic, therapeutic school, please visit:  Turning Winds Academic Institute.

Aerial Adventure Park

A School Outing -Building Trust and Confidence

Students from Turning Winds Academic Institute participated in a memorable experience at Whitefish Mountain where they were able to conquer challenging courses while being suspended from harnesses fifty feet above the ground in the Aerial Adventure Park. It was a playground in the trees for the kids to appreciate!

The aerial adventure park is an exciting experience that has five separate courses with over 60 elements designed to challenge every skill level.  Whether you are a beginner or an expert, this course is for you!

Each one of the students were equipped with state of the art harnesses which had a double carabineer locking system to ensure safety while engaged on the course.  In addition to the safety equipment there was a presentation on how to utilize these locking devices on the course as well as the guide wheels. They then were able to practice using the locking mechanisms and tweezels as they approached the main platform where the courses originated.

Once we arrived on the main platform, students began to choose their routes.  Each route had a rating system that was identified by certain colors which signified the difficulty level of each course.  These colors included:  Yellow, Green, Blue and Black, much like the ski runs are identified in degree of difficulty.  In order to participate in a Blue Course, a participant would have to successfully complete a green course.  The same routine was required for the Black Course where in order to advance a student must have been able to complete the Blue Course.

The aerial courses were riddled with amazing elements that made it exciting, interesting and challenging.  Some of the elements included: zip lining; crossing suspended bridges and cable wires; climbing across nets and through barrels; swinging on trapezes and tube traverses; and repelling from a platform to complete the most difficult challenge.  These courses are not for the faint hearted or those who are afraid of heights! 

The girls seemed content to engage in elements on the Yellow and Green courses.  On the other hand, the boys were determined to conquer both the Blue and Black course.  Each one of the boys were successful in completing the Black Course which was the most difficult.  It was fun to watch the students build up the courage to complete certain elements.  One particular element which a young man struggled with was repelling from a platform that was about fifty feet off the ground.  Imagine, wearing a harness and having just crossed a 90 foot obstacle and reaching a platform high into the trees.  Only to be instructed to connect into a repelling mechanism and step backwards off of the platform which you were so comfortably standing on. 
Well, this young man that struggled with this particular element repeatedly went through the motions of stepping backward on the platform.  Each time one of his feet left the platform to begin the repelling activity he would shake his head in frustration, place his foot back onto the deck and walk toward the tree to regain his composure.  This must have happened six different times! 
With much coaching from several of the staff, he finally made that last step off of the platform and into the air.  Once hanging in the air like a spider on a spool of thread, the young man began to laugh as he realized all would be well.  He had a grin on his faced that went from ear to ear.

We are so proud of each of our students for successfully completing the courses that they started!  What an amazing, life-changing experience this was for each one of those youth who participated in The Aerial Adventure Park.

Turning Winds Academic Institute Summer Concert

TWAI Featuring Switchback and Marshall Catch 

Turning Winds Academic Institute celebrates another successful concert performed by the Nationally Acclaimed Indie Rock Band, Marshall Catch.  The special event which captured the hearts of the students, parents and staff this year was the opening performance of our very own student-band, Switchback. 

Switchback was formed earlier in the year by four students at TWAI who had the aspiration to demonstrate their musical talents to their peers.  Musical instruments were donated both by the school and current parents to make this dream become a reality.  Never had the thought occurred to these remarkable young men that they would have the opportunity to perform with “a national acclaimed band such as” Marshall Catch.  On August 17, 2013 Switchback executed with “inspiration” and “courage" a flawless performance of "Unwell" by Matchbox 20 and "Say it ain't so" by Weezer -the crowd erupted with a standing ovation.

In 2011, Marshall Catch performed their original song “The Ballad of the USS Arizona” at the 70th anniversary honoring those who gave their lives at Pearl Harbor.  Because of the unique nature of the song, the organizers of the Pearl Harbor event personally requested that Marshall Catch come and play it for the ceremonies. For more information on the unique opportunities that exist at our therapeutic school, please call us at:  800-845-1380.

Positive Parenting Prevents Drug Abuse

The Benefits of Positive Parenting

The University of Oregon through extensive research determined five key elements in preventing and minimizing the progression of drug abuse.  These include the following:
1.  Good communication
2.  Encouraging positive behavior on a regular basis
3.  Effectively negotiate through problems with your teen
4.  Being able to set limits with your teen
5.  Monitoring how much time your teen spends with peers

To read more about this project and view the benefits of positive parenting with tutorial videos please follow this Family Checkup Link.



Turning Winds Academic Institute utilizes therapists with extensive experience in teaching drug education awareness; role playing to effectively navigate around peer pressure; a strong addiction recovery group; increased family awareness and support; and individualized sessions in order to provide the necessary treatment, support, tools and confidence to effectively overcome the battles of addiction.  If someone you know could benefit from our services, please refer them to our highly effective, therapeutic boarding school at:  800-845-1380.  Together we can make a difference!

Percent of TWAI Students Ready for College-Level Coursework

Academic Excellence

Turning Winds Academic Institute places a great emphasis on academic performance.  With small classrooms and a teacher to student ratio of 1:10, our school is effective in providing an excellent service to our clients which ultimately increases academic performance.

ACT Research Services recently released longitudinal data about how Turning Winds Students perform on the ACT.  Over the past five years, Turning Winds Academic Institute students have consistently performed higher on ACT scores than students across Montana.  AND ... Montana students consistently perform higher than students nation-wide. We are proud of our students' high performance!

A Therapeutic Experience

Turning Winds Academic Institute facilitated another “life changing,” outdoor expedition in August to Seven Devils which is near Riggins, Idaho.  The emotional growth that takes place on these trips is beyond my writing skills to adequately describe in “wholeness” the miracles; the growth; and triumph that is captured in these outdoor experiences.
 

Seven Devils is an amazing environment which consists of terrain that explodes with breathtaking views; consists of serene lakes that are hidden amongst the staggering peaks and is riddled with evidence of recent fires that have left many areas scarred and barren.   The hike sets out at an elevation of over 7000 feet.  This environment demands the best effort of anyone hiking along it trails with descents and ascents commonly exceeding 1000 feet.  The lakes are pristine and are a great reward after a good day of backpacking on the trail.   Each day had its challenges; however, the group of girls proved their perseverance was greater than even they could have imagined at first.

The trip included the following destination points:  Shelf Lake (8 miles from trailhead); Dry Diggins Lookout ( 6 miles) back to the trailhead ( 8 miles) and rafting on the salmon river (all day).  It was an amazing feat for the girls!  Many of the girls were caught saying, “this is the best thing that has happened since being at Turning Winds” or “I would not have missed this for anything.” 

The last day of the trip was spent relaxing and playing on the Salmon River as they floated on rafts all day long.  The river guide made it interesting with his good sense of humor; the food was great and the experience of rafting through Class II-IV rapids was exhilarating.  During the portions of the river that were slow moving, the girls had fun swimming and just relaxing in the sun.

The girls were able to learn more about themselves throughout this remarkable journey as thought provoking assignments were completed and group discussions were had each day.  They also gained a greater understanding and appreciation for others' in their group as they were able to work on being supportive, motivating, understanding, patient and assisting with making good decisions based on the needs of each individual.  It was truly a profound experience for all of the girls who attended this trip.  We are so proud of their hard work, effort, perseverance and triumph!

An Outdoor Experience to Remember

Families that Play Together Stay Together

TWAI Group at The Hiawatha Trail

TWAI Students on Trestle

This week a group of our students and Directors embarked upon a sensational journey as they traveled south toward the Idaho/Montana border to mountain bike, the Route of the Hiawatha Trail.  The Hiawatha is a gentle sloping ride with a 2% grade as it was home to the Milwaukee Railroad and was referred to at one time as, “the most scenic stretches of railroad in the country.”  The Hiawatha route is a fifteen mile trail that starts out with the Cavernous, Taft Tunnel which is over 1.6 miles in length.  Without the aid of a headlamp, passage through the tunnel would be like riding your bike on a dirt road blind-folded.  It is truly a unique outdoor experience to travel through the eleven tunnels, and cross over the nine high trestles as it meanders through the mountainous terrain following the Loop Creek drainage.


Taft Tunnel

The boys and girls had an adventurous and fun day mountain biking the Hiawatha Trail.  Many were amazed at how scenic the ride was and mentioned how they had planned on redoing this very trip with their own families.  After a fun day of biking, the students stopped at Qdoba to eat dinner in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho before returning to Turning Winds Academic Institute. 



The old saying of, “Families that play together, stay together,” certainly holds a lot of merit.  This is undoubtedly the case at our therapeutic boarding school.  Having fun together develops a greater sense of togetherness, support, a greater belonging to community, facilitates healing and opens the channel of communication.  For more information about enrollment into our highly effective, therapeutic school call us today at:  800-845-1380. 


TWAI Students at Qdoba



A Walk Through Nature

A Treatment Approach that is Inspiring and Empowering

Fundamental to realizing our school's mission, is the instruction of outdoor education or experiential learning.  Experiential learning through outdoor recreation is highly effective in assisting children, teens and adults to develop a greater sense of self; acquire leadership experience; enhance social development and teamwork skills; increase confidence and self worth; develop greater critical thinking and problem solving skills; and creating an affinity for health and wellness.  Youth who attend our therapeutic school consistently demonstrate a higher level of maturity that is not seen in most other teenagers. 

Turning Winds Academic Institute is located in perhaps one of the most pristine and serene environments that exist amongst therapeutic boarding schools.  We value the environment in which we reside in and are in awe at the vistas seen from mountain tops; the network of hiking trails; the multitude of alpine lakes, rivers and streams and the great variety of wildlife that we co-exist with. 

Common outdoor activities for our students include:  hiking, mountain biking, backpacking and various water activities.  A favorite hiking destination for our student's is Fish Lakes.  Yesterday a group of youth hiked into Fish Lakes which gently meander's along a mountain-side which includes scenery of old growth trees, thimbleberry bushes, rock slides, creek crossings, a series of beaver ponds and a beautiful waterfall.  The roundtrip hike is about 8 miles in duration and would be rated easy to moderate.

As we hiked along the trail, it was inspiring to listen to various conversations within the group detailing personal experiences of prior challenges and triumph which has resulted since arriving at TWAI.  One girl noted, "I am truly grateful for this privilege... most kids will never have this opportunity."  The same girl went on to describe the college ambitions she has for when she graduates from our school.  Others talked about the good times in their lives and a common ring heard from a number of girls was how they had grown to love and appreciate their families.  Girls were making bets on whose brother will call and talk with them first.  It was truly a blessing to experience such insight into the lives of the youth who were along for this hike. 

Once we arrived at Fish Lakes, we had dinner which consisted of hoagie sandwiches, all natural Capri Sun's, SunChips and fruit snacks.  We also attempted to catch some of the fish which were jumping in the lake all around us, but they would not bite on the spinners which we had.  Without any prompting, one of the girls volunteered to carry the group backpack all the way back to the trailhead.  It is truly amazing to witness so many acts of responsibility, maturity and service from students as they participate in our outdoor activities.  We arrived back at the trailhead before nightfall.  The student's expressed gratitude for the time which was taken to sponsor such a wonderful activity and we departed to the school with a group looking forward to a good night's rest. 

A Refreshing Experience

A Cool, Refreshing Break!

Turning Winds Academic Institute is a therapeutic school that provides many opportunities for students to engage in meaningful experiences.  One element used to measure the health of a therapeutic boarding school is the type and frequency of activities offered.  At TWAI we are able to provide a plethora of activities that consist of the following:  sports, fitness, indoor/outdoor recreation and therapeutic recreation.
















Staff from Turning Winds Academic Institute took a group of teenage boys to go swimming in the beautiful elements of Northwestern Montana.  We went to the upper falls of The West Fork Yaak River.  It sits in a small, canyon with the waterfall splitting off into two different directions; creating an amazing landscape.  There the boys enjoyed swimming into the deep pool of water; jumping off some of the nearby ridges and rock outcrops; and just relaxing in the sun!
















If you, or someone you know, could use our exceptional services, please contact us at:  800-845-1380.