Workshop Feedback
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The story of our art piece.
(recorded by Bittin as the students told her what each canvas represented)
"There are three canvases:
"The first canvas on the left represents our lives as they were before we came to Grafton. A broken heart is split in half. This symbol shows the pain we have each felt. There are groups of both happy and sad families. A red face represents feelings of anger, depression and regret for past actions. A black 357 Magnum Machine Gun can really hurt you bad. It also represents one of the tools that teenagers used to hurt others before. A green house in beneath the sad family showing hurt feelings and chokeness in the throat. The two figures in the upper left corner symbolize positive relationships and love from before.
"The middle canvas is backed by the colors of a rainbow- candy, being nice, being cheerful, polite, beautiful, helpful.
"It also symbolizes hope for a better tomorrow. Each student has painted him or her Self as they sees themselves today.
"The third canvas represents life as we grow up. The McDonald's Truck and the doctor represents that each student wants to have a job they love in the future. Sports like football, basketball, baseball, soccer and swimming are important to be stronger and stay healthy and tough. The blue car is hot as fire and it goes fast as 100 miles an hour. This car shows that all students want to be able to drive in the future."
The students' quote.
"Working on this art world was a master piece...good...amazing we finished so quickly...it was OK to make symbols about our past and future...it was fun working on it - drawing the pictures, painting the images canvases is sometimes very likeable...it makes us feel better because we write about the future and it gives benefits us on how we can be on the future...(we)like the heart cause it's red and show how (we) felt inside and acknowledges the truth of the past."
The staffs' quotes.
"I'm really impressed how you all have done. It' been a long three days but you all have held it together and preformed as a team and produced an art piece that represents something important to all of you"
"I can look at this picture and I see the people I know and I also see things about the people I didn't know. I think it's really neat that you can share this -your feelings and your experiences - with all the kids who will come to Grafton. Maybe it will help them too. I think what you did here is going to be more important than you realized - for everybody." Piece story available at present.
{pictures}
S Differences
Food
programs
levels of privileges
People are different
-colors of skin/hair
-likes/dislikes
-diff-clothes
-diff sizes
-families
-animals
-abilities/skills
-cars/houses
-roommates/rooms
Common
Friendship
toys-bikes
living situations
-grafton
Kappa House
Main Campus-(Home) a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, b1, b2, b3
Rt.11
-staff
-people simularities
-didn't go home
category of what we want people to think or know about us when see ______
-I'm not stuff-on fire
-beatiful picture
-life is good
-problems in past
-feelings
-grafton/now doing
-best friends
-how things working out
at Grafon
-go to bed
-can _____/sports
-visit
-school-work-play-learn
-vocational therapy
-eat
-consequences for behavior
-time outs
-room time
-high levels-more priv.
-biting off campus
-chores
-hard/boring work
-job coaching
-special olympics
-movies
-making friends
-work to get free choc
before Grafton
bad behavior/things happen
-cusing
-shot gun
-hitting
-lying
-arson
-punching brother, sister
-stealing
-fighting
-drugs
-alcohol
-smoking/illegal substances
-assault with police
-armed robbery
-petty theft/auto
-assault/battery
-good times
park, playing games, sandbox, laughter
-free choices
caused trouble, dangerous/self/others
Grow up and be Self
-Free choice
-independent
-self responsibility
-responsibility for behavior-grow up/actions
-no staff-/supervision
-doing what I did before
FUTURE
-college choices
-job
-mamnage kids
-house
-racing cars
-basketball player
-fireman
-create planes
-doctor
-nurse
-food services
-dog trainer
-genius
-feel good
-being ready to leave and move on-graduate
-family
-growth-growing
-learning
-challenging
-return of Jay and new family
FUTURE
new family
bro, sis, ma, pa, foster family
Before I came to Grafton my brother had sex with me I told him to stop and he kept doing
I hope he'll never do it again because it hurt momy didn't save me. I want to come back home why did he do it? Because he felt like it. I was unhappy. I hope he never ran away. Because I want him to be good so he can go back home. I felt sad about mom because she didn't save me but I say ______________want I see her.
At grafton, I get ________. It is not fun I've had it until Saturday until Monday I feel sad because I am not home. I feel like running away to home I have bad dreams that mommy was at Kappa House and was _______. ______ was there and I was thinking mommy was cleaning a car and she got hot. It makes me cry. Those are the only 2 feelings I have.
In the future, me and Russell watching a movie in the living room with popcorn. He and I will get married someday I went to make it happy. Be good, be nice to Russell. I want to have kids, with Russell and their names will be Amy and Annabella.
Before I came to Grafton I didn't have feeling for other poeple. I threatened a polic officer with a aluminum baseball bat. But before I could do anything to him, he put me in handcuffs and took me to juvenile detention. Being in a place like, I became scared. But during the stay I made a few friends went to court. That's when I was placed on probation. The judge told me that if I stop in his court room again he was going to give me a _______ After appearing in his courtroom again I went to jail and had a bad ______. And that's how I ended up at Grafton. It was very hard on me and my family.
I donot know what to say. Hard. it's just hard. I don't know exactly how it's hard. I think about...
In the Future
I want to be with my family, of course, my mom, my dog and her (mom's) friend. We used to go around malls and buy thing. I want to buy me a shotgun or a handgun. I jsut want to walk away from grafton. I want to be a truckdriver to make lots of money. I guess long hours, that's it. Feelings- I have lots of feelings I'd like to leave those behind. I just want to drive around the country, until I get tired or jsut drive it off the cliff. I didn't really want you to write that. that's good me and her will get married someday. Don't know when but someday. We both want to have kids and get a 1996 _______ pick-up 5 speed 4 ______.
After Grafton
Just leave everything behind, life and all. Then I won't have to worry about everything else everyone I won't have to worry about stuff being on me all the time. Leave me alone or else I'll shoot you.
[Anonymous participant] before Grafton
I lived at home in Berkeley Springs with my mom, Dad, Alston and Arloff. I like living there. My dad left me use his chainsaw to cut down trees so we would have wood for the woodstove. I attended Berkeley Springs High school. Played outside after school. Went underneath the front porch and played. Watched tv at night. Was able to go to bed whenever I wanted. Helped start fire in the woodstove when needed. Mom and Dad separated. They didn't like each other. Dad didn't like Mom anymore. Mom took a board and beat me. Social worker took me to Pat Place's to live. I didn't like the foster home, moved with eleanor, didn't like it there, moved to village at Grafton, then to Rt. 11.
Anonymous
How [Anonymous participant] likes Grafton
I like Grafton. It's good. Will be leaving Grafton in 1997. Going to my dad's house in Berkeley Springs. I've been good this year. I like my job "Dining Aid". I like $4.75 an hour I make working. I get a pay check every two weeks. I like living at Rt. 11. I play sega, watch tv, play outside, and go to bed.
Anonymous
Future after Grafton
Go home to Berkeley Springs. I will mow people's grass for $20. I will learn to drive a car. Play outside with my brothers. Help my dad cut down tres for fine wood. Help my dad keep the house clean.
Anonymous
I stole a car, was doing drugs, shaved the cat,a nd used to temper tantrum in the grocery stores. I used to hit and bite other people-then myself to avoid trouble. I was mad and didn't care about anything. I didn't like my neighbors or my step-dad.
Then after several treatment centers I arrived at Grafton. I feel good about myself though not always in control of my surroundings. I don't feel as angry anymore so I don't temper tamtrum or try to hurt others. I learned how to talk more openly with others and seek advice or guidance as needed. In my future I want to finish school and have a career as a dog trainer. I wnat to be able to live independently and have close friends. Eventually I'd like to be married and raise a family of my own. I'd like to maintain a close relationship with my mom and brother.
Before:
I had done assault and battery on my dad and my little brother. I had punched my dad and made blood come out and put the couch on my little brother's neck and broke hi neck. I had gone to detention (3 1/2 months) Poplar Springs (1 month). I started fighting in another foster home (1 week) I had went to the green house (2 months, Petersburg). Then I came to Grafton. I was upset and mad and angry.
Grafton (During):
I've been doing better and talking about my issues to staff. I'm happy that I'm at Grafton cause it's helping me alot. I'm glad to be at Grafton and I'm safe. I didn't mean to hurt my dad or my brother, I was just mad because I couldn't go to my friend's house. I've been at Grafton for almost three months. I'm doing pretty good. I've only gotten one 1 restraint at Grafton for running. I'm good at running because when I was at home I ran 1-2 miles, but I wouldn't do it anymore because I know that it doesn't solve any problems, it just makes things worse for me.
After:
I'll probably end up going to a foster home in Chesterfield and I'll go back to my high school (Thomas Dale). I'll probably go and *** my parents at their home. I'll graduate from high school. I'll probably end up going in the Marines if I have a chance I might get married but won't have any kids.
hr/ >
I FELT SAD.
I GOT CAUGHT BREAKING IN PEOPLE'S HOUSES.
My life before Grafton
I did not like my life before Grafton, because I got restrained all the time. Nobody