Admissions Criteria

Abundant Life Academy is one of a few private boarding schools for troubled teens. Every boarding school or program claims to be unique and different from all the rest.  The truth is Abundant Life Academy is a very different program.  We openly declare, "Jesus is the only answer!"  Moreover, Abundant Life Academy serves a very unique student population.  We work with both boys and girls, ages 12 to 18.  ALA is an excellent choice for a troubled teen that is struggling to find his/her identity and purpose in life. This troubled boy or girl is making poor personal decisions.  More specifically, Abundant Life Academy is designed for the gifted, yet unmotivated Christian teen struggling with feelings of inadequacy, laziness, lack of appreciation, and rebellion toward parental authority.  Moreover, this young man/woman is only concerned about having fun, is hanging out with negative peers, lies to parents, is sneaking out and/or skipping school, might be sexually active, and may be using drugs or alcohol (or is heading that way). Abundant Life Academy is the alternative to the typical Christian boarding school, troubled teen camp, or Christian program for problem teenagers; ALA is a powerful Christian leadership school where students are reconnected with Christ, restored to their families, and become pursuers of academic excellence.

To enroll your teen into Abundant Life Academy you need to make sure that ALA is God's will for your child. We ask you to pray and to seek Godly counsel. This is a huge decision, and most of the time parents don't have the luxury of time.  Sometimes things have gotten to a crisis point and a move has to be made.  Pray!  Seek God!  The peace He will give will get you through the crisis and beyond.  Sometimes parents have some time and can methodically go through the enrollment process.  Thank God if you have time.  What ever your situation may be, crisis or not, if you are certain that Abundant Life Academy is God's will for your family then the next step is to fill out the form to the left, and request more information.

"... The Ascent of a Leader... ALA is equipping the young leaders of tomorrow to love with Honor, through the glory and integrity of Christ..." -Craig Rogers , Abundant Life Academy Founder

When we evaluate a prospective student we look at the family as a whole. Our family evaluation criteria are based on the family's commitment to the process of Christ-centered reconciliation. Many times the parents have a history of rescuing their child from difficult situations and in doing so have become the problem. At Abundant Life Academy we cannot work with parents who rescue their children. Our job will be to slowly reintroduce adversity into the life of the child (we expect greatness from our students and we hold them accountable). Our job is to require from the student a high standard of performance that the parents have not been able to bring forth. Our job is to instill solid principles such as discipline, hard work, and trustworthiness. This task is not an easy one and our students are not always willing participants. In almost all cases the new Abundant Life Academy student will attempt to coerce and manipulate his/her parents into rescuing them from the process of growth and maturity. They have become experts at wiggling out of difficult situations and quit at the first sign of hard work. Our hope is that the parents will refrain from rescuing their child from the struggle and in doing so their child will grow into a powerful adolescent.

The staff of Abundant Life Academy is dedicated to building a foundation of Christ-like character through a powerful leadership-training program. By now, it should be obvious to the prospective ALA family that there is a great deal that is expected of our students. We expect greatness. In the beginning our students rarely want anything to do with hard work and standards of excellence. Additionally, our school is designed for the teen that needs to be challenged and guided into their greatness. We compel our student-leaders to excel in academics, develop lofty vocational and academic goals, amplify intellectual boundaries, embrace spiritual maturity, and to participate in powerful projects of compassion and outreach to the disadvantaged. Before returning home, our hope is that all of our student-leaders will have identified clear strategies of growth in all areas of their lives, giving themselves to the fulfillment of their destiny.

In order to fulfill our goals we require a great deal of our student's parents. We expect the parents of our students to be a partner in the process of reconciliation. We expect the parents of our students to be supportive and a source of encouragement for our staff. We hope that our student's parents will join the battle by making a commitment to pray for the staff and students of ALA. "Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against powerful forces of darkness…" We need our parents to be prayer warriors and consistent encouragers to those of us in the front lines of the battle.

The Abundant Life Academy Christian boarding school experience will resurrect and grow the leadership potential in the lives of our students while preparing them to impact the world. We mentor our students until they catch their vision, and embrace a commitment to excellence. Our students will develop the tenacity, the perseverance, and the endurance necessary to be powerful leaders, overcoming the wiles of the world. Again, in order to accomplish such a feat we cannot do it without the full support and cooperation of the student's parents. One of the most important criteria for admission into Abundant Life Academy is the parent's willingness to work along side of us, offering support and encouragement in every possible way.

Encouraging the maturity of Christ-like character and honor is the unique signature of Abundant Life Academy. These virtues are built through experiential hands-on learning; we call "life mentoring", delivered through a Positive Peer Culture environment. Our student-leaders are being taught leadership skills from tried and true professionals from diverse backgrounds. . However, we can't take the place of the student's parents. We require the parents to be an integral part of the child's success while at ALA. We ask the ALA parent to stand by us firmly and support us through a difficult battle. We require the parents to be in covenant with the staff of Abundant Life Academy, working together to ensure the successful completion of the program.

Prospective students of Abundant Life Academy are kids who are gifted, yet unmotivated (academic and spiritually unmotivated). Abundant Life Academy does not serve students who are in need of acute mental health services (self harm, suicidal ideation, or currently taking medication and therapy for psychosis and/or personality disorders), are convicted of felonies, or in need of medical detoxification from drug addiction.  ALA is not a camp or program for troubled youth with severe problems, but we can help you find the right program for your troubled teen. Please fill out the "Get Help Now" form in the far left column of this page.