What’s learned here is for life.
From the Executive Director:
For 117 years, Boys Home of Virginia has been a haven for at-risk boys, offering them a transformational education and a caring home away from home. Boys Home has been a source of hope, equipping them with the tools to break free from adversity and build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
This work is personal to me. When I was thirteen, I was struggling. Teachers saw potential in me but noticed I was headed down the wrong path. Luckily, my parents could afford to enroll me in an independent school, and that decision changed my life. The support, encouragement, and discipline from my new school’s teachers and coaches turned me from a problem student into a respectful hard worker and a leader. It ignited a lifelong passion for education that drives me to provide a similar experience for the students we serve at Boys Home. Potential is distributed equally in the world, but opportunities like the one I had are not. Boys Home provides families with limited resources access to life-changing education.
At Boys Home, we envision a world where potential has no limits, where circumstances don’t dictate destiny, and where every boy can become a successful man. It’s a world where barriers are replaced by bridges, hardships are overshadowed by hope, and the future offers limitless possibilities. This vision drives us forward.
When you support Boys Home, you affirm your belief that every child, regardless of their background, possesses the innate potential for greatness. Your belief in their potential is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. It empowers us to provide comprehensive care, quality education, and unwavering mentorship to every boy who comes to The Hill.
At Boys Home of Virginia, we believe that every child deserves a chance to reach their full potential, regardless of their circumstances.
Many of the boys who come here have faced significant challenges, including family instability, academic struggles, and emotional hardships. However, we firmly believe that with the right support, guidance, and opportunities, every boy can overcome these obstacles to become strong, confident, and successful young men.
Our approach to education and personal development sets Boys Home of Virginia apart. We provide a safe and nurturing residential environment where students receive not only an excellent education but also essential life skills, character development, spiritual growth, and mentorship. Our dedicated faculty and staff work tirelessly to create a supportive community that empowers each young man to discover his strengths, interests, and passions.
Your support directly impacts our students and Boys Home programs. Our robust endowment ensures that donations directly benefit our students by providing them with the environment, education, and programs they need to succeed. The endowment not only ensures Boys Home’s long-term sustainability but also reflects the trust and commitment of our supporters. Moving forward, we are dedicated to addressing current funding priorities that enhance the well-being and prospects of the young men under our care.
Our Campus Home:
The beautiful historic campus of Boys Home covers 1,400 scenic acres in the Alleghany Highlands and includes twenty buildings, including seven colonial-style cottages that have been home to boys and their dreams for over a century. Each year, new projects bring fresh challenges to the Boys Home budget, including the need for expanded programs and facility improvements.
The three most urgent campus home priorities focus on providing a safe and secure environment for students and staff. These priorities can be fully funded for $213,000 this school year:
Cottage Repairs:
The student cottages are the heart of our campus, with eight students and two houseparents in each. This year, preventative maintenance inspections revealed leaks in the roofs of three cottages. Repairing these roofs to ensure safety and prevent leaks will cost $30,500 for all three cottages.
Water Line
Expansion:
Recent inspections of fire hydrants on campus revealed insufficient water pressure and flow. We must expand our two-inch water line to a six-inch line to address this issue, with a total cost of $42,500.
Parrott Dining
Hall Air Conditioning:
Although the dining hall has seen updates, including a new powerline, electrical panels, transformer replacement, and roof repair, it still needs a new HVAC system to ensure our students comfort throughout the year. This project will cost $150,000.
Our Path Forward: Growing Our Impact:
Boys Home currently houses forty-five students, all working to make life-changing decisions each day. However, there are many more young men facing adversity who need our help. A gift of $70,000 would enable us to welcome eight new boys to campus. Funding this effort would also allow us to make minor repairs and staff Whitehead Cottage to care for new students in need of a fresh start.
We are committed to expanding our programs to better serve our students on their journey to becoming successful men. This means introducing new programs that offer more options for our boys as they dream about what it means to be happy, healthy, and successful men. It also means providing our team with the necessary tools to fully support our students as they seek to transform their lives. As we grow Boys Home programming, we focus on four priorities for our students and one area of programming for our faculty and staff:
1.
Career and Technical Education (CTE):
Our trades program exposes students to career opportunities and teaches basic safety and construction skills. We recognize the importance of CTE in equipping students with practical skills, vocational training, and a pathway to meaningful employment. The CTE program would expand instruction in carpentry, masonry, and Computer Aided Design (CAD), providing tailor-made instruction, hands-on learning, certifications, and real-life experience through internships, co-ops, and pre-apprenticeships.
3.
Arts Programming:
Many of our students have a passion for visual arts and music. Additional funding would allow us to expand arts offerings in the school and afterschool programs. Students have shown interest in vocal music, drumline, drawing, painting, and design. A robust arts program would enrich the student experience, boosting self-confidence, engagement, stress reduction, and focus. The potential for these programs combined is extraordinary and promises a significant impact on our students.
2.
Outdoor Education:
As we aim to grow our holistic approach to education, we see the value of outdoor education in character development, leadership, and life skills. We aspire to build an outdoor education program that fosters leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and physical and mental health. Contributions to this priority will fund resources, staff training, and equipment for impactful outdoor activities that develop confidence and support positive mental health in our scenic Covington, VA location.
4.
Accelerated Professional Development:
Caring deeply about our boys is not enough— our staff must also be equipped to provide the support our boys need in an increasingly complex world. We seek support for comprehensive professional development programs to prepare our team with the necessary skills, knowledge, and best practices. Areas of growth include traumainformed care, positive behavior management, cultural competency and diversity, and mental health awareness.
Make a Lifelong Difference in A Boy’s Life.
By supporting Boys Home of Virginia, you invest in transforming the lives of the young men we serve and in the positive impact they will have on their families and communities as they lead the next generation. Your support enables us to offer high-quality education and wrap-around support, equipping our students with the tools they need to excel academically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially. Your support directly shapes these young men’s futures, opening doors of opportunity they never thought possible.
boyshomeofva.org
boyshomeofva.org