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Success Stories

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Please note that the names (except in the case of "Paying It Forward") and photos shown here have been changed to protect privacy.

Paying It Forward

Back in 1968, I was a person who was hopeless. At the age of 14 I had watched my brother mainline Heroin. My parents had been divorced and married for a total of 8 times between them. I was hanging out on the streets of Somerville, drinking more alcohol than a person of any age should.

Middle Earth provided me with a place to obtain guidance and direction, as well as express my concerns about the systems that affected the youth in the area. They taught me how to establish short and long term goals, which was new to me.

In 1973, I was a new mother and not sure what I was going to do with my life. Dan Puntillo (executive director) came to my apartment one morning and told me to get ready for an appointment with the financial aid officer at Somerset County College. I insisted that this would not work, but before I knew it, I was enrolled in college. I finished my degree and went on to a four year college and obtained my Bachelors Degree in Social Work.

For twenty-six years now, I have been paying it forward by helping others who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected as a child; aiding those with developmental challenges; helping senior citizens living in nursing homes; teaching social problems to those incarcerated as they attend college; working for a state legislator; community organizing; leading girls and leaders in Girl Scouts; and aiding those who are returning to the community from an acute mental hospital. I went on, after my children were grown, and obtained my Master of Science in Social Work which has allowed me to continue to offer the legacy and values that were first given to me at Middle Earth.

Without the guidance offered by Middle Earth, I may not have finished high school let alone returned to college as a single mom, I may have remained on welfare as my mother did, and not had the strength to return to school to obtain my master's degree. I was literally removed from the streets of Somerville and headed in the right direction to what I consider a very successful life.
  
Mary D. (Hicks) Bishop

Eyes to the Future

Richard wasn’t worried. He was only 18-years-old, and he felt sure that his future would look much different than his present. Richard was currently on probation, in a gang, struggling with substance abuse, and was testing at a 9th grade level for reading and a 5th grade level for math. He wasn’t employed and certainly didn’t have any of the qualities an employer would look for, so it was much easier for Richard to focus on having fun in the present.

The team at Middle Earth worked hard to garner Richard’s trust and soon began to teach him about accepting the consequences of his actions and planning for the future. Once the staff helped him see clearly the future of his current path, he had all the motivation in the world to change course. Richard and the staff worked on his resume, phone skills, volunteering, academic skills, money management, career planning, and more. The team advocated for Richard to be enrolled in summer school, and within 5 weeks, Richard received his high school diploma. Middle Earth helped him enroll in technical school and secure financial aid and housing. By the time Richard left for school, he had his substance abuse under control, his test scores had gone up to 11th grade for reading and 12th grade for math, and, perhaps most importantly, he understood the process for getting help and finding resources. Richard had this ability within him all along – the team at Middle Earth just helped draw it out. Now, this blossoming adult doesn’t make impulsive choices based on the short-term because Middle Earth helped him realize that the horizon of his future is endless.

The Choice That Made a Difference

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He didn’t know it, but Greg, a local 17-year-old boy, stood on the brink of a momentous decision that would affect the course of his life. His “family” – no, not his father who was in prison, nor his mother who was an addict; but rather his gang that had served as a substitution – was going out on the streets that night. Normally, Greg would have jumped at that chance, but lately, he had been reconsidering his involvement with the gang since he was enrolled in a program at Middle Earth. Greg struggled with this choice... should he go out?

Greg arrived at Middle Earth on probation with drug issues, no job, a high school dropout, and months away from becoming a father. The future wasn’t looking very bright, and so it was easier not to look beyond the present. Then, the team at Middle Earth got to him. Greg was suddenly surrounded by positive adults who truly cared for him in a way that he had not experienced before. The staff worked hard to garner his trust, and soon Greg found a new “family” in their acceptance.

Greg started receiving drug counseling to deal with his substance abuse issues. He began to attend parenting classes with his girlfriend to prepare for the upcoming birth of their baby. The staff tutored Greg for taking the GED. Greg was taught important life skills, such as money management, resume writing, phone skills, career planning and applying for a job, cooking, and more. Meanwhile, Greg was actually having fun at Middle Earth – the programs offer the children access to computers, pool tables, basketball, exercise equipment, art supplies, and sound booth equipment. There were a lot of “cool” ways to spend his time constructively with his peers. And throughout all these classes and recreational programs, the staff slowly weaved in important skills for a successful adulthood – teaching positive decision making skills, instilling respect for himself and others, helping him to accept the consequences of his actions, and explaining the process for finding resources when you feel stuck.

So, when it came down to that night that Greg was pressured by his gang to go out, when Greg struggled with what to do, he ultimately made a different decision than he could have imagined before. He had promised the staff at Middle Earth that, the next day, he would volunteer at one of their community service projects. He wanted to help make a difference in the community. So, he decided against going out that night. He wanted to be rested the next day, and the values he was learning at Middle Earth clashed with all that the gang represented. And that one decision – that moment of clarity and of choosing a positive alternative – meant that Greg was not involved in a shooting that night that left two people in critical condition.

The shooting was an eye-opening experience for him - he realizes now that one choice can have a huge impact on your life, and so he chooses with care. Greg credits Middle Earth with helping him to believe in his own capability to achieve high goals. Once Greg could clearly see his current path and was taught how to plan for the future, he gained the motivation to change course. Greg wants to attend community college upon passing the GED – something he had thought beyond his reach before – and the staff will assist him with the enrollment process and help him secure financial aid.

Team Spirit

In the past couple of years, Middle Earth formed a basketball team that participates in games through the Somerville Recreation Department, who graciously waived the fees in order for our kids to participate. The youth on our team were from our Community Youth Center. Some of the youth were on probation, some were not. The majority of the youth were currently in school. Some of the kids did not make the high school team so this was their second option. Most come from single parent, low-income homes. Regardless of their background, our teams have been comprised of positive young men.

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The basketball games allowed these youth to learn to work together as a team and gave them the opportunity to learn to coach. Some of the youth expressed that they would not have been able to play if the fees had not been waived. Others said that the league helped them to stay out of trouble and to engage in a positive activity. They said that they like playing for Middle Earth because of what Middle Earth provides for them. The team has received a lot of support from the staff and other youth that attend the Center who go to cheer them on at the games.

How funny… we can change the directions of lives with a simple game. Richard L. Evans once said,“Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them.”

Fighting Mental Demons

Jane was a 15-year old girl from Franklin. She was referred to Middle Earth’s Outreach Program through Richard Hall Community Mental Health Center, primarily due to her mental health issues. She was diagnosed bi-polar and was struggling in school and at home. At the time of the referral, she had continual behavioral and academic issues at school, and her relationship with both her grandparents, with whom she lives, was filled with animosity and tension. Her mother had infrequent contact with her. When they did speak to one another, Jane would often have negative reactions afterwards that directly affected her behavior. She also had minimal phone contact with her father. Finally, she struggled with her self-image due to weight gain from her medications.

Jane was receiving services from the Tri-County Care Management Organization (CMO) as well as from Middle Earth. Our Outreach program assigned a Mentor to Jane. The Mentor developed a strong relationship with the CMO case worker, the in-home counselor, the school and the family. Together with Jane, they worked to develop goals that would assist her in becoming better able to handle the various stressors in her life and to become more independent. The task was difficult initially as Jane was impulsive and was not able to stop to think through her actions and their consequences. She would fight with her grandmother whenever her grandmother would try to enforce a rule within the home.

Jane’s Mentor initially worked on establishing trust with Jane and listened intently to her issues. They began going to the gym together in order to assist Jane with her weight loss goals. This served the dual purpose of helping with weight loss but also in building a positive relationship with the Mentor. Gradually, Jane became very reliant upon the Mentor because she knew she would be there for her. The Mentor attended family meetings and helped to improve the communication between Jane and her grandmother.

Over time, Jane found a new appreciation for her grandparents, and both she and her grandmother could stop and take a moment to think before they lashed out at one another. Their communication improved immeasurably. Jane also was able to talk to the Mentor about her feelings regarding her biological parents. She was able to process her disappointment and pain but also began to assess the relationship more realistically. She continued to see a therapist to deal with her mental health issues.

In school, the Mentor was a strong advocate for Jane, but also maintained the stance that if Jane did something inappropriate, she needed to face the consequences. Jane managed to turn her school situation around and is doing very well. As she began to see how well she could do, she felt pride and a sense of accomplishment. Many of her teachers noted the positive change in her which reinforced her efforts.

“What’s done to children, they will do to society,” said Karl Menninger. So let us not treat our teenagers with ill regard, because who knows what ills they will return? Instead let us offer our teenagers resources and opportunities so that they will succeed and then contribute to the good of the community.