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Q: How do you feel about the teenage environment in today’s society?
A:
I think today, teenage boys are exposed to too much sex and violence. I see it in the movies and videos, in the news media, the pornography that’s easily available in magazines and through the Internet—all this contributes to over-stimulation. This, combined with the fact that teenage boys are entering an age when their testosterone levels are rising, can create a powerful but mostly negative influence on teenagers. Even the modern American diet, with a lot of red meat from animals that have been treated with hormones growth stimulants and antibiotics adds to over-stimulation of the teenage nervous system. At LWHS the teens are encouraged but not mandated to follow a vegetarian diet, which I think is good. If they go to town and get a meal with meat in it, they still are having some meat in their diet, but a whole lot less, which is healthier.
Q: What are some of the spiritual benefits of this school?
A: As a parent, I like the fact that the teens at this school are exposed to various world religions. For instance, there was a Moslem Sufi who came and spoke to the teens after the September 11th tragedy. This helped my son understand what the Muslim religion was really about, which is not terrorism. The teens have several exposures to Tibetan monks and nuns who visit the school, sharing with the teens about Buddhism. Within the Ananda Community, the teens learn about yoga philosophy, meditation, Christian teachings, Hindu beliefs, and more. The students have done plays about great saints and teachers from different religions throughout history. They don’t just get a comparative religion lecture. The teens actually get to talk and interact with people who “live” their religion. I remember my first exposure to various religions wasn’t until I was a senior in high school. Here, the teens get an expansive view of the world at the exact time in their lives when they are naturally looking outward for different ways of living,
trying different possibilities. There are choices in life, and other ways to live. This school opens the doors to these choices in a way that’s safe while also being extremely interesting. My son is really interested in how others in the world live.
Q: What is it about the LWHS physics class that inspires him?
A: He’s learning the practical applications of physics. For instance, he’s made motors, generators, and various hands-on projects that challenge him to use the principles of physics in order to complete the project. The physics teacher works with the students in an intuitive, individual way. I don’t know if anyone can remember their high school or college physics class, but most of them are extremely boring. My sister, who’s currently taking a college physics class at a major university, told me about her physics instructor. He comes in, reads a pre-written lecture to the class, and walks out. Since the class is so dull, she’s barely making it. At LWHS, the physics instructor helps the students do interesting projects that teach them the academics and principles they need to know, while challenging them in a fun and adventurous way. I often help my son review his written physics notes, and I am quite surprised at the level of science he is learning. He’s learning and enjoying physics principles that are two or three years ahead of most physics classes for his age.
Q: What has been your son’s experience with LWHS?
A: This is the first year since I can remember that my son hasn’t asked to be home-schooled. He’s doing more school work, he’s being challenged more than he’s ever been, and he’s doing more homework at a much higher level than we (his parents) have ever seen him do. His English skills and his computer skills have improved dramatically this year.
Q: Why is this?
A:
He’s been given enough English Composition projects, and that, combined with his increased typing and computer skills, have enabled him to excel in English, which has never been his strong point. His grammar has also improved, because he’s being taught the specific rules of grammar that he has needed. I used to have to do major corrections on anything he wrote. Now, after seven months at LWHS, I do minimal corrections.
Q: How does your son like the service projects?
A:
Well, one day a week the students do a service project in the local Grass Valley-Nevada City area. Sometimes these service projects take them to San Francisco and other places within the state. Right now, the high school boys are on a three-week trip to the Grand Canyon and Southwestern US. They’re doing service projects with Park Rangers and with various other organizations that they will interact with. They’re having fun and they’re also having classes in an interesting “outdoor” environment. One day, my son came home from doing a service project for a poor, elderly woman who desperately needed help with brush clearing on her property. All the boys really enjoyed doing this. This woman was very grateful to the boys. Just seeing that he could make a difference in someone else’s life, that he could be of help or service to someone made him feel happy. There are many different service projects that the high school students engage in, and so the students have some choice in what they’ll do. For instance, my son works with handicapped children in third and fourth grade. They also work at the food bank and with the homeles selters.
Q: What about having separate classes from the girls?
A:
To be in a class with all boys and have teachers who really like working with teens this age, I don’t know where else he can get this. I think this is one of the reasons he’s really happy at this school. There are some combined classes with the girls, so it’s not like he’s totally isolated.
Q: What is your impression of the teens that attend LWHS?
A:
All teens have different personalities, but here the teens aren’t all forced into one mold, with only one way of learning. There are different ways of learning, and here the student’s individual needs are more important. Because the classes are so small, the students can be given individualized help, instruction, and projects that suit their own learning styles. This way every student wins. The teens learn that there’s not just one right way or one wrong way for things to happen.
Q: What about the social life here?
A:
When I was in school, I don’t remember needing to interact with a huge amount of different students. My son is very sensitive to group vibrations and energy, and I just don’t think he would be happy at a big, public school. He’s happy here because his needs are being fulfilled and he has no big desire to be on a big sports team or anything that involves peer pressure or competition. My son is very athletic, but he doesn’t appreciate the stress over “winning and losing” that exists in most big schools.There are extra-curricular school activities with different teachers, like bicycle riding, weekend trips to the ocean, and up to the nearby ski areas for skiing or snowboarding. For older teens, there are even supervised outings with the girls and boys together, so that they have some outlet for getting to know each other in a fun and wholesome way.
Q: What about the physical education at this school?
A:
The boys get a huge workout. Early in the year, they all took a week-long, 100-mile bicycle trip, with a van along for those that needed to rest. They workout at the school gym with weights. They hike; they play basketball and volleyball, jogging, baseball and soccer.
Q: How do you feel about your son learning yoga & meditation?
A:
They all have daily yoga, energization and meditation sessions. These are very positive skills that he will have to help him throughout his life.
Q:How does LWHS challenge students?
A:
The LWHS philosophy is to challenge the students physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, so that they can use their energy in a positive way. The teens are given positive outlets for their energy that just aren’t available in public or even most private schools.
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