Kyleigh
Eliada opened Earle Cottage, a residential Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF), to provide a local facility that could meet the needs of high-acuity young children aged 6-11. For just over a year, a wonderful young lady named Kyleigh has called Earle Cottage home.
Meeting Kyleigh today, her gentle demeanor and sweet smile give no hint to her turbulent past. She came to Eliada with no family relationships and feelings of anger and sadness. Her poor self-esteem and feelings of loss after her mother’s incarceration made it difficult for her to make friends with other students.
Gradually, Kyleigh learned the value of the adage “you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” She began to use the skills she learned at Eliada to make a difference in her peer relations, and started communicating her feelings and thoughts to her friends and counselors.
A real turning point for Kyleigh was her involvement with the many animals that live at Eliada. She loves Zip the horse, Annie the cat, and Sassy the goat, but her favorite animal is George the pig, who pushes her around with his snout. Kyleigh learned to be more compassionate through caring for these animals. She has even volunteered at Brother Wolf animal shelter.
Today, Kyleigh is a leader among the students. She has gone to Navitat several times and was chosen as one of only ten students who went on a week-long canoeing trip. She chooses to go to church each Sunday. Kyleigh loves playing mancala, “Just Dance” on Wii, and building model trains. She continues to participate in therapy, where she is building on her skills towards a successful future.
In two weeks, Kyleigh will leave Eliada to go to a loving foster home. She is happy and proud of what she has learned. She will miss her Eliada friends (both animals and people), but is ready to move on. She is especially excited to go to public school and live with a family. She’s a little nervous about the future, but feels like she is better prepared for whatever it might bring.
Congratulations, Kyleigh! We will miss you and are so proud of all you have accomplished!