Dear Friends and Supporters of Boys Home of Virginia,
I hope this message finds you well. As we continue to navigate through another exciting school year at Boys Home, I am filled with gratitude for the unwavering support of our community. Your dedication allows us to offer opportunities and resources that truly make a difference in the lives of our young men now and those we will serve in the future.
It is with great enthusiasm that I introduce an important new initiative at Boys Home: the Student Success program. This comprehensive program is designed to complement our existing academic offerings by focusing on critical life skills that extend beyond the classroom.
The Student Success program is built around five key areas: life skills, study skills, character development, financial literacy, and leadership. These elements are not only essential for academic success but are also crucial in preparing our students for success after Boys Home.
This program is not just an addition to our curriculum; it is a vital extension of our mission to fully prepare our young men for the world ahead. By integrating these skills into their daily lives, our students are better positioned to achieve success in college, vocational trades careers, military service, and more.
We are thrilled to embark on this journey and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our students. I invite you to learn more about the Student Success program in the pages that follow and to join us in celebrating the continued growth and achievements in the Boys Home community.
Thank you for being an essential part of our mission. Together, we are shaping brighter futures. I look forward to the school year ahead and celebrating the remarkable achievements that happen on “The Hill” daily.
Admissions | Our doors are open,
We are currently accepting new students and have several full scholarships available. Since 1906, the Boys Home program has offered young men a new path toward success. The path to success is not a one-size-fits-all and life happens along the way. We are here to welcome young men into a comforting and supportive environment of peers and staff. Please pass this information along, if you know someone who could benefit from the Boys Home program.
We would like to share a few parent testimonials, so you can hear in their words why they choose the program and its effectiveness. Although the testimonies below are from Virginia residents, please note that we take students throughout the country.
"When you choose the Boys Home program, you are making a good decision. At the time, it was a heartbreaking and difficult decision, but it is what my son needed. At home, he was beginning to go down the wrong path and was hanging out with the wrong crowd. I knew he needed a different environment, but I didn't want him to be too far from home.
When we took a tour, I was surprised at how much it felt like a home and the grounds were beautiful. After being in the program for just over a year, he was more respectful, had better manners, and was mature enough to repair the family relationships that had been damaged. My son successfully graduated from the Boys Home School in May 2024. He is now in Air Force boot camp in Texas. I am so proud of the man he has become."
(Parent Testimony/Roanoke, VA)
“The Boys Home executive director visited our church a couple of years ago to talk about the mission. However, we never thought we would need them for our own family. When our son started having problems, we researched several programs but couldn’t find one that fit our budget and his needs. Once we came across Boys Home, we knew we had a match. The program helped our son turn his life around and opened a future of possibilities.”
ADMISSIONS
CONTACT INFORMATION
Director of Admissions and Evaluation Brittany Tate
Phone | 540.965.7739
Email | btate@boyshomeofva.org
Website | boyshomeofva.org
Address | 414 Boys Home Road Covington, Virginia 24426
WISH
LIST
(Parent Testimony/Charlottesville, VA)
SCAN HERE for more information
PLEASE NOTE
Boys Home is not equipped to offer services to individuals with severe emotional, mental, or physical needs that require a residential treatment setting.
With gratitude, Chris Doyle
Executive Director | Boys Home of Virginia
The “Wish List” can now be found online. Please scan the QR code below to access the list.
Paul is excited about the schoolyearahead!
8th Annual Harvest Hustle MARK YOUR CALENDAR
NOVEMBER 2
DECEMBER 3 Giving Tuesday NOVEMBER 25 - DECEMBER 1 Thanksgiving Break
HAROLD B. PRESSLEY | ALUMNI CORNER
“The Boys Home program was a blessing in disguise. It gave me hope when I needed it most. It helped me learn who I am as a man.” (B Pressley)
Like most young men, B’s story started off rather traditionally. He was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, by his mother and father. In 2007 his life began to change. When he was seven years old, his parents divorced. This was the beginning of what would become a difficult chapter in B’s life. Just two years later, at age nine, his mother had a bad accident which left her paralyzed. A year later, she passed away. B went to live with his mom’s older sister. He was lost, frustrated, and sad. His behavior began to take a turn for the worse and it was time for a change.
At age ten, B came to Boys Home. He stated, “I remember watching my aunt’s car drive away and it set in that this was real. I had a lot of emotions running through my mind. I was scared and excited. I knew I needed a fresh start.” B believes he may have set a record for how long he went through the evaluation phase but eventually decided to give the Boys Home program a chance.
B would stay at Boys Home from age ten to fourteen. He stated, “After just one year, I really saw a positive change in myself. The program provided me with structure and taught me the value of completing my chores, timeliness, and having a strong work ethic. The positive feedback I would receive gave me confidence. I went from not wanting to be there and misbehaving to being a leader in my cottage. There were several great role models who welcomed me into the Boys Home community. I have so many great memories during my time there. I gained friends that would become my brothers.”
B left Boys Home in 2014 and continued his education at Christchurch School, a boarding school in Virginia. He felt like he had achieved what he needed to at Boys Home and was ready for a change. Also, he wanted to be closer to Richmond. After graduating high school in 2018, he attended the University of Virginia for his undergraduate degree. B has a passion for finance and attended the college’s McIntire School of Commerce. He successfully graduated from college in 2022
B now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and works in wealth management. When he is not putting his finance skills to the test, B enjoys one of his many hobbies. He enjoys playing golf, fishing, skiing out west, and live music. He also enjoys taking in a Carolina Panthers game, when he has the chance.
He stated, “I can honestly say the staff at Boys Home are doing God’s work. The program helped me at a really fundamental time in my life, full of turmoil. I failed many times, but the staff would pick me up each time and get me back on the right path. I have a lot of love for Boys Home, those four years were truly a blessing.”
Work Ethic | A life skill every young man needs.
“I want the young men we serve to learn a strong work ethic. Work is something we all do, every day. Every young man needs to learn the right way to work. That is one of the main goals of the Boys Home work program. Our students are part of a community and should take pride in the area where they go to school and live.” (Director of Facilities, Mark Nelson) Beyond work ethic, the program is meant to instill and grow the students in accountability, a positive attitude, responsibility, education, and safety while completing the task.
For the 2024-2025 school year, the work program is five days a week and just under two hours. The current project is installing new fencing on the farm. The assignment allows the students to learn how to dig post holes, use a level while placing the posts, measuring for the correct distance between each post and more.
Mark stated, “It’s incredible to watch a student’s confidence grow when they learn a new skill and take ownership of a project. They take pride in seeing their accomplishments, especially when the project is complete. One of the students who has stepped up the most is Auggie, he is ten! The young men also learn the value in working as a team, versus individuals, the job gets done faster.”
The essence of “What’s learned here is for life” is lived out in the work program. The education students receive at Boys Home goes beyond the classroom. We strive to equip them with a skill set they can use throughout their lives. At Boys Home, our goal is to raise responsible young men who become positive, contributing leaders of their communities.
Meet Haden
It’s no surprise Haden was awarded Farm Crew Worker of the Year in spring 2024. He received this award along with his farm buddy, Michael. The Boys Home Farm is their happy place. They work hard but have a lot of fun while getting the job done.
Haden stated, “I grew up on a farm, but I have learned skills at Boys Home I would not have learned at home. I have learned work ethic, responsibility, and leadership. Farm work and the Boys Home work program are making me better prepared for the real world.”
Farm Manager, Linda Angle, helped Haden and Orien.
Mark Nelson offered Paul a helping hand.
Bryson was excited to get the fence completed.
Why another Facilities Campaign?
We’re reaching out to share some exciting news! In our last Boys Appeal, you read about the $100,000 matching grant toward the Facilities Campaign. We successfully met the requirement and will receive the grant! A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed, you made this happen and we are grateful!
In reality, the facility improvement needs of Boys Home far exceed the matching grant. Please see below, where several projects and estimated costs are featured. Keep in mind that these are only estimates. For this reason, Boys Home will continue its Facilities Campaign. We are committed to ensuring that our students have a safe and comfortable place for learning, eating, sleeping, and all activities. Additionally, to prepare for emergencies such as a power outage.
Your contribution will help support these essential needs and improvements! Together, we will keep striving to improve the Boys Home community and offer the young men we serve an excellent place to call home.
Please note that major gifts past and present for the Facilities Campaign will be recognized on the Donor Tree in the Administrative Building. ($5,000 | Leaf $10,000 | Acorn $15,000 | Boulder)
CURRENT FACILITY PROJECTS
WAYS TO HELP
MAKE A GIFT
ONLINE | Visit givetoboyshome.org and on the screen for additional details, select “Facilities” in the drop-down menu for ‘gift type.’
CHECK | You may also mail in a check, but please be sure to include “Facilities Campaign” in the memo.
Check out a progress video!
TELL A FRIEND OR ORGANIZATION
Help spread the word about this campaign at Boys Home.
keep in touch!
Scan here to donate today
Boys Home needs up-to-date contact information and communication preferences for our donors. You can scan the QR code or mail in the short form below. As a reward for your effort, everyone who completes the form in its entirety and returns it will receive the custom 2024 Boys Home Christmas ornament. You don’t want to miss out on this great opportunity!
Please know that we are mindful of our communication frequency. Boys Home has a goal to keep you informed of what’s happening on “The Hill” through our mailings and digital newsletter (6 per year). We would like to thank you annually with a call.
Boys Home School | Agriculture Class
The Boys Home School has added a new class this semester. Farm Manager Linda Angle and Elementary School Teacher Virginia Scott are co-teaching an agriculture class. The class focuses on the study of plants, land, and the practice of farming. The students are fortunate to have two farms, many farm animals and a vegetable garden as their live classroom at Boys Home. Linda states, “The class is currently studying goat vocabulary and the uses of these terms. Later in the semester, we will use the goat milk produced on the farm to make goat soap. I try to offer hands-on learning as much as possible.”
Linda was asked about her end of the semester goal for the class. She stated, “I want to expose the students to as much animal life as possible. The more exposure they have, the more comfortable they become around animals. I hope to eventually introduce a chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA) to the Boys Home students. Through some interesting conversations, I have come to realize that many youth do not know where their food comes from prior to the grocery store or the Boys Home dining hall. I want to teach the class exactly where their vegetables and food come from and how to grow many items on their own.”
Linda’s co-teacher, Virginia, stated, “I think the agriculture class is off to a good start. It made sense to start with goats, since the students interact with that animal the most. Also, they love goats! By the end of the semester, I hope they will understand the hard work it takes to raise and care for animals on the farm and the rewards of putting in the hard work. I am also hoping the students will learn skills in leadership, the importance of knowledge, and the value of caring for humans and animals in our community and beyond.”
At Boys Home, “What’s Learned Here is For Life.” That slogan is the foundation of our program and can be seen in and out of the classroom. The new agriculture class is just one way to instill a sense of responsibility and knowledge about both animals and the environment to the young men we serve.
Linda and DeLeon were discussing the chambers of a goat’s stomach. DeLeon thought parts of the teaching were a little funny.
