Stories of Resilience— The Magic of LKS Finding His True, Best Self

STORIES OF RESILIENCE

Ben Neil, 2020 Oakgrove High School graduation, UT

THE MAGIC OF LKS

Somehow, this wasn’t in the parenting books. Six years ago, we found ourselves in an impossible situation. Our creative, curious, and active little boy had become a 13-year-old who could not read or even remain in a classroom, who had no hobbies other than looking for things on the ground, who had no friends, and who made up wild stories to get attention. We spent our days trying to put together combinations of school and support services and our evenings trying to manage Ben’s anger and frustrations. Each school year started with promise but ended with an even longer list of learning challenges and diagnoses. Although we lived abroad, we made the difficult choice to put Ben in a boarding school in the US, and an educational consultant helped us find Little Keswick. That first phone call with LKS was such a relief. As I spoke with Terry Columbus and explained our situation and the challenges Ben faced, she said, “He sounds just like one of our boys.” From that moment, he was.

It is hard to put the magic of Little Keswick into words. The people, the communication, the consistency, the individualized planning, the passionate and professional academic team, the skilled support and residential staff, the attention to detail, the campus, the pen-turning, the fishing, the horses, the camaraderie, the chickens—all of these were amazing and exemplary in themselves. Yet, at every turn I kept hearing the question, “How can we make this successful for Ben?” I realized that through celebrating and building on small successes our son was learning that he could find his place. Ben entered LKS as a school escapee who spent his first day on campus looking at the rocks on the pathways. He left as a student and an engaged classroom participant. He gained hobbies, coping skills, and friends—and he learned to read. Each step along the way slowly restored his self-confidence.

Ben’s journey is not over, nor is ours. He moved to another program in 2019 where he both completed his high school diploma and held down a part-time job. He has recently moved back to Sweden to continue his education in a specialized program at a local school. We are confident that his arsenal of tools, coping strategies, and conflict resolution skills have given him a foundation upon which to build the remainder of his life.

We were so fortunate to find Little Keswick and are grateful for the magic the school worked on our son and our family. We hope that Little Keswick can continue to offer its magic to other boys and to other families who find themselves in a similar situation. We are delighted to be able to continue through annual donations to support the school and the amazing work it does. —Leigh Neil, Past Parent

FINDING HIS TRUE, BEST SELF

Our son Jake spent three transformative years at Little Keswick School from age 11-14. He came there as an unhappy, argumentative little boy who wanted very much to have friends. He left LKS three years later as a happy, confident, and socially well-adjusted young man with many friends and with a bright, successful future ahead.

We always thought he was a diamond in the rough whose true brilliance was masked by his maladaptive and confrontational behavior. LKS polished him by providing a structured environment with continuous feedback that enabled him to learn interpersonal skills and boundaries. He developed socially, emotionally, intellectually, and athletically. Almost paradoxically, this discipline and structure were the keys to Jake’s finding his true, best self and the freedom to become what he is today.

Little Keswick School is like no other place on earth. The degree of methodical planning, staff development, and physical resources required to make LKS successful is mind-boggling. It takes a unique vision to have so many various elements of the school work together successfully. Translating this vision into a reality requires significant financial resources, well beyond the tuition. The pandemic has stretched the resources of all institutions and businesses. While many schools are not opening this year, LKS has boldly faced the challenge and done the seemingly impossible. After a short hiatus, they are back to providing their unique brand of education in a safe and nurturing environment, just as always. Through their creative thinking and extensive planning, they have been able to institute the needed distancing and implement the proper sanitary and hygienic precautions. Through additional investment in their staff training and infrastructure, they have been able keep the boys safe and back to learning, socializing, and having fun without significant interruption. We have always believed LKS is a very special place. Their response to the current challenges and their ability to adapt to and overcome these unparalleled obstacles only reinforce that belief.

We feel immense gratitude for how LKS shaped our son. Although Jake transitioned from Little Keswick School a decade ago, continuing to financially support the school remains a priority for us. Now, more than ever, LKS needs all of our contributions to continue their amazing transformative work.

—Barbara Elowitz, Past Parent

Eric, Barbara and Jake Elowitz, 2019 Baruch College graduation, NY