Alumni Questionnaire ← Back to Index
Jenni Blake:
Your name, first and last.
Jenni Blake
To which institutions were you sent?
EC, Marion
How old were you?
15-18
Date you entered The Program/ Date you left.
94-97
What was the highest level you attained?
3rd
Please describe the circumstances that got you sent to The Program, i.e. trouble with law, issues with parents, problems at school, etc.
All of the above
Which house were you in?
Marion - Herrick House, DR - TKB
Please describe instances of abuse you experienced while in the program, if any.
Sexual abuse by a male staff member in Marion. I later found out that he was reprimanded for inappropriate contact with other girls before I arrived, and it upsets me that NHYM allowed him to stay despite his behavior. I told the highest ranking girl in my house what happened, but she didn't believe me and told the staff I was lying. It blew up into a huge disaster but the upside is that he was convicted and sentenced to jail. The staff treated me poorly after his conviction so I ran away. After they caught me, I was immediately shipped to the DR.
Describe abuse of other students you witnessed, if any.
Not sure
Do you have any good memories of The Program? What are they?
Yes, some nice staff.
What is your overall impression of The Program - did it "help you"?
It helped me, though I think that was more because I was isolated from the world and unable to do the things I was doing and not necessarily through their 'program'.
What do you think of the quality of education you received?
Horrible... struggled all throughout college because I was not properly educated, completely unprepared, and had just gotten out of the program.
How old are you today?
26
Did you go to college afterward? If so, what degrees do you have?
I have a BS in Marketing.
What is your profession?
I work for an industrial engineering staffing agency
Do you consider yourself a Christian today?
I believe in God but I do not believe in church or organized religion.
What effect did "The Program" have on your faith?
It made me bitter against organized religion.
