Wolf Creek Academy
Location
41 Beauty Spot Cove Rd. Mars Hill, NC 28754
Phone
Type(s) :
Coed, High School, Junior High School, Religious
Website
https://www.wolfcreekacademy.org/
Wolf Creek Academy is a therapeutic boarding school for girls and boys with behavioral or emotional problems. It is located in Western North Carolina’s beautiful mountains, which helps facilitate its adventure-based therapy focus. WCA specializes in working with difficult teens or those struggling with Depression, Drug Abuse, ODD, ADD, and ADHD. They also work with students on prescribed medication under their physicians’ direction.
Wolf Creek Academy helps its students find their God-given purpose and identity to become a better version of their previous selves. We do this by focusing on building relationships, calling out behavioral issues as they happen, and working on them. We create an individualized therapeutic plan and work on it daily in an environment of love. We purposely utilize adventure, unique experiences, and healthy fun to enhance the therapeutic environment and build self-confidence and a sense of identity that will help them find success now and for a lifetime!
It also offers an accredited school program, including college preparatory education. WCA’s therapy is designed for teenage boys and girls with a history of behavior difficulties, strained family relationships, or other emotional problems. Their focus is to help turn lives around for struggling teens and their families.
WCA has worked with struggling teenagers age 13 to 17 for 30 years. They have highly trained professional counselors who specialize in behavior therapy, including anger management, suicide prevention, social development, improving depression or mood swings, substance abuse issues, self-harm, opposition, and respect of authority.
The program provides a safe home environment for normal adolescents who have lost sight of a clear and positive future. They are all students who are quite capable of becoming mature and dependable young adults if given the proper direction. WCA’s program, many will be able to reach their highest potential when provided the tools and education to do so. Many of our students are gifted and need to be allowed to be challenged. The majority of the students will continue their college education upon completion of Wolf Creek Academy’s program. Students are asked to comply with normal household rules and do their own laundry and daily chores to benefit the household. Each child is helped with meeting their own hygienic needs.
Daily PE activities at WCA include football, volleyball, kickball, soccer, basketball, softball, or hiking as a regular part of our school program. Physical activities vary seasonally from white water rafting, trail hiking, and snow skiing/snowboarding. Weekly social activities vary from bowling, going to the movies, hiking, church, museums, and more.
Education and counsel for the whole family are a must and are included in the treatment plan to transform the struggling teen successfully. Wolf Creek therapeutic boarding schools offer the best of professional teen counseling and academics at a lower cost than many similar therapeutic boarding schools.
Teen Counseling to Solve Behavioral Issues
Wolf Creek offers to counsel adolescents and teens struggling with various behavioral issues or rebellion. Some of those issues may include:
- Teen Anger
- Lack of Motivation
- Depression
- Failing Grades
- Running away
- Substance Abuse
- Eating Disorders
- Anti-social behavior
- Academics and learning disabilities
Each child will receive weekly counseling with a licensed, certified counselor or, more frequently as determined necessary. Parents will be kept well-informed on their child’s progress through phone calls or emails from the child’s assigned counselor. Education and counsel for the whole family are a must and are included in the treatment plan to transform the struggling teen successfully. Wolf Creek therapeutic boarding schools offer the best of professional teen counseling and academics at a lower cost than many similar therapeutic boarding schools.
Academic Overview
The school’s purpose is to support the mission of Wolf Creek Academy. Wolf Creek’s belief is – “A Hope and a Future for Every Child.” Their mission is to provide quality education to each student and help students master curriculum knowledge via the Accelerated Christian Education system. The education department supports the mission of WCA through classroom functions, diagnostic testing, prescribed curriculum, staff training, and participation in the three (3) tiered systems of evaluation, care, and treatment. Students are given opportunities to learn accountability and responsibility through specific classroom procedures.
Students attend class daily in a classroom setting. The Teacher and Teacher Assistants in the classroom assist students from the sixth grade up to twelfth grade. The quiet environment offers one-on-one attention and tutoring as required. Recognizing that each child is unique with individual learning needs, students are encouraged daily to accomplish their goals and continuously progress using techniques designed specifically for them. Oftentimes, a public school setting is full of distractions that cause frustration for the student and negatively impact their ability to advance. WCA has a therapeutic and nurturing environment that is a safeguard for success. They offer various electives such as foreign language, speech, art, and physical education. Students thrive while having the opportunity to advance at their own pace, most often at an accelerated pace which boosts self-respect, repairs self-confidence, and promotes security for a successful future.
Small-Group Sessions
Each day begins with daily group sessions addressing anger management issues and respect of authority, self-respect, substance abuse, or other issues relative to today’s youth. The counselors conduct these groups.
Small group counseling sessions provide a safe environment whereby students may interact, vent, and learn from one another appropriate ways of managing their respective behavioral difficulties. Most can relate with other teens and easily become transparent, thus allowing their inner-self to be exposed and eventually promote healing in various areas of their lives. This non-threatening atmosphere will encourage emotional growth and will allow each student the opportunity to become understanding and accepting of their own identity.
Our Philosophy
Wolf Creek Academy strives to help turn lives around for thousands of struggling youth. We are a faith-based ministry designed to instill integrity, accountability, responsibility, and character while allowing them to achieve a quality education regardless of their social status, race, or religion.
Our Values
- Active Involvement of Parents in the rehabilitation of youth programs based on results, not time.
- The connection between parents, teens, and program.
- Home Visits to test the student’s readiness to return home.
- Home Contract that identifies boundaries to assist in long-term success.
We do not believe that children have to be broken down….but we believe that they should be built up, loved, and nurtured with appropriate disciplinary measures of losing privileges and gaining rewards for good behaviors.
Why Choose Wolf Creek?
Wolf Creek has worked with struggling teenagers age 13 to 17 for over 20 years. Our highly trained professional counselors specialize in behavior therapy, including anger management, suicide prevention, social development, improving depression or mood swings, substance abuse issues, self-harm, opposition, and respect of authority.
Testimonials
Here are a few of the many letters we’ve received over the years from students, parents, and grandparents who have had their children in our program, as well as some of the kids themselves. References are available upon request.
“Wolf Creek Academy forever changed my life. I’ve made friends that are going to last a lifetime. As of right now, I’m almost 18 years old and attending college. I’m basically working two jobs and loving life. If it wasn’t for the loving, compassionate staff there, I don’t know if I’d be where I am today. And once you leave WCA, the support never leaves you. They are still there for you. The most important thing out of all of this, though, is meeting my best friend, Jesus. I know He is always there for me through all the good times and the bad. He motivates me every day. Thank you, Wolf Creek Academy, for changing my life. With a tear down my eye, I can actually say at this point in my life, I am happy, all because of that support I had and still have today. Thank you are not enough words to say. Only God knows how much you all mean to me. Thank you for changing my life.”
Ivana, Former Student
“ My name is Mary. Before my enrollment, I had been kicked out of school, ran away from home numerous times, suffered extreme depression, and had radical anger issues. Being the oldest child in my family, my parents feared that I would soon destroy my own life and set my younger siblings up for failure. They made the tough decision of placing my life in the hands of others, hoping my behaviors and thought process might change.
As a student, I learned that while I may have consequences from my past behaviors, I could be forgiven by God, my family, and myself. I was introduced to working through my anger and hurt through counseling. I found self-worth, acceptance, and the opportunity of becoming an established young adult. I learned the tools that would set me up to make positive decisions. In counseling, my parents’ trust and communication line was opened up. My life was turned around and saved during my enrollment in the program.
I am now 26 years old and married to a wonderful man. If there is one thing that I would pass on to those in a tough spot is the good news that things can and will change. I find many of the things I was taught years ago still pop up in my mind when I least expect, but when I need it the most. I completely credit my success to the foundations of love, support, and motivation laid by Jones and their school. Without the guidance I had through my counselor and the other staff, I do not believe I would be in the place that I am today. ”
Mary, Former Student
“ When I first arrived at Wolf Creek Academy, I had many weaknesses and struggles. I wasn’t quite sure why I was here, but the more time I spent, the more I began to realize what my problem was. I recently lost my mother, and they taught me the healthy ways of grieving and accepting the loss of a loved one. I’ve struggled my whole life trying to deal with the physical, verbal, and sexual abuse that I’ve experienced. WCA also helped me to set boundaries to protect myself for the future better.
I have built solid relationships with the staff, counselors, and other students while I have been here. They are the most encouraging people I have ever met in my entire life. If I hadn’t come to WCA, I’m not sure where I would be, and I certainly wouldn’t be the confident, outgoing person I have become. ”
Rachel, Former Student
“ I just wanted to take a few minutes to tell you how much we appreciate everything that you have done for our son, Adam since he began attending your school. What was the worse period of time for us parents has turned into such a blessing! We are so thankful that we found your school and made the hardest decision in our life to send him to you. ”
Mark and Maureen, Parents