We arrived at Cherry Gulch mid-morning on a hot July day. A couple kids were playing basketball on an outdoor court and a couple staff members were discussing plans with some visiting parents when we arrived. Cherry Gulch is located on a hill overlooking Emmett, ID, and the view from the top of the property is breathtaking.

We walked up to the main lodge and escaped the dessert heat into the coolness of the administrative building. Dr. Andrew Sapp was waiting for us to begin our tour of his amazing program for young boys. The lobby of the office was filled with backpacks, sleeping bags, and other camping gear. Several boys were preparing to go on a camping trip with their parents and there was an exciting buzz around campus.

We were introduced to all the therapists on staff. Therapists at Cherry Gulch are all PhD or Masters level, and each carries an average case load of eight students. Also on staff is a licensed psychiatrist. All staff utilizes The Anatomy of Peace method for conflict resolution, which was on display on the walls of the conference room when we visited. This method is a great tool for teaching loving ways of resolving conflict for the boys and families at Cherry Gulch.

As we walked, Dr. Sapp explained the student who would excel at Cherry Gulch. Boys are age 10-14 at admission. They often struggle with issues surrounding abuse or neglect, adoption and/or relationship issues. Often there is emotional dysregulation like anger, anxiety, grief and loss, and boys struggle with low self-esteem and a myriad of other issues. Dr Sapp explained that there are two basic types of boys at Cherry Gulch, those who won't, the more defiant boys, and those who can't, those with possible learning and functioning issues.

We left the office area and headed toward the living quarters. The cafeteria is on the same floor as the offices and the first set of dorms is on the upper level of the main lodge. Rooms are dorm-style with 8-10 boys per room. The dorms were tidy, as would be expected considering each dorm has a picture of what a clean room should look like hanging on the wall in plain sight.

A major goal of the staff at Cherry Gulch is to teach boys how to self-regulate their behavior through positive reinforcement. Not only does staff do this through example, but they also use a token economy system where boys can earn tokens for good behavior and then redeem those tokens for amenities, activities and special trips. Boys also have the free will not to cooperate, which of course removes the defiance of the authority factor. If a boy does act out, he has to pull a healthy habits card out of a deck of cards the staff carries, which must be completed before he can participate in any activity. This system was impressive to me; something I would consider for my own household. Dr. Sapp referred to it as Positive Parenting with a Plan, replacing negative/ bad habits with good/ healthy habits.

Parent involvement is a critical component to the program so parents typically see their children quicker and more often than at other programs. The parent program directly parallels their son's program, keeping the treatment and progress consistent throughout the process. Parents are even encouraged to make their own set of healthy habits cards for their homes to reinforce the concept, which also shows each boy that the changes he makes in himself while at Cherry Gulch will be lifelong.

Cherry Gulch has quite an extensive list of activities and trips offered throughout the year, to help motivate the boys to succeed. From trips around the US, to trips abroad, students get to earn credits studying in the real world. Every week is packed with additional opportunities for off campus sports and activities and boys stay motivated to participate. Just a short list of this year's trips for students includes a trip to Utah, London, Yellowstone National Park, and the Oregon Coast.

I noticed as we walked through the dorms that many of the boys had religious symbols and bibles. This diversity was impressive. Students have the opportunity to worship as they choose. There are many religions and boys learn respect each other's views.

The other critical component at Cherry Gulch is the academic component. As we walked through the school, Dr. Sapp introduced us to the teachers, all certified and two of which are Masters Level. We also met several boys who came up and introduced themselves freely. They were interested in interacting with us, excited to show us their classrooms.

The school is separate from the living areas so it feels more like a typical school program, and there is a separate building specifically for music classes. Students can earn credits in all the core classes, can take foreign language, and can join academic clubs, like the robotics, Rocketry (Team America Rocketry Challenge), and Math Counts (a math competition we earned the highest status in (gold status).

We ate lunch with the boys who welcomed us and eagerly asked us about who we were and shared about themselves. Two boys were actively into competitive bike racing and were the top racers in the community. Another was interested in photography and technology. After lunch, more parents and families started to arrive and boys busily finished their after lunch chores to be with their families.

I felt as if we could have hung around all day but alas it was time for us to head to our next appointment. I am very impressed with the staff and facilities at Cherry Gulch, as well as with the program itself on so many levels. Of course there are so many more dynamics to this program than I can cover in one short visit report, but if Cherry Gulch sounds like it might help someone you know, call them, schedule a visit and thoroughly check them out.