Royal George Academy
Nov 9th 2007- May 16th 2008
Anonymous
I was sent there for family issues. (I wasn’t living with my parents but my grandparents) My parents knew I wouldn’t go on a trip with them so they had my real father take me (I’d see him once a year if was lucky.)I went and was left there in a state of shock. I was with a group of around ten other males and had to adjust to life with them. I remember my first week there every day was fight and being in shock no one would come to break it up. I remember one person got it more than any one else and always got it the worst. I figured out if I stayed to myself and out of the way of some the more trouble some people they left me alone. I remember some of the students would force others to do humiliating things like pour hot sauce up their nose or shower with another student. Most of the “Supervisors” didn’t do any thing to stop it and even some encouraged the behavior. I remember waking up in the mornings and some times people would just disappear. They call it being “goobernapped.” People would come and take students away usually to places worse than RGA least by what we were told. During my time there three riots were organized and happened by the other students. People would run around with the faces covered, throw things and even beat up a target student. I was lucky though. Through some kind of respect I don’t understand to this day I was left alone by the other males and listened to as almost a voice of reason earning me the nickname Gandhi. They’d have the meetings every day were every one would have to come clean with every rule they broke and the group would then choose who needed “help” and we’d give them the best advice we could. Some times we’d have random one after an incident for example (maybe a fight or some one just would break down). I remember every thing we said to the outside world was heavily monitored. It was like a mine field when you tried to beg for help from the outside. The supervisors would edit emails or even not send them and phone calls could be just cut off without a moments notice. Every day you’d wonder if you ever would get out. Some would try to run away or attempt suicide. The ceiling is what I remember very clearly. I remember just staring at it afraid the next morning I’d wake up in the back car being taken some where else.
Now it’s nearly seven years later as I write this (you can thank new years resolution for that.) I still have nightmares some times wake up nearly screaming. The events, people and the place itself burned into my memory. I’ve developed PTSD. I grew my hair out long to help remind myself when I start to wake up I’m not there any more. I still fear waking up in the back of a car being taken back there or worse. I remember waking up the first day of college in the dorms and having a panic attack thinking I was in RGA again. I have a lot of sleepless nights and trouble trusting others so I keep to myself a lot. As I sit here writing this I want whoever is reading this to never send their child to a place like this. I’ve been living in fear for the last seven years over a place I know has closed it’s doors and I honestly don’t know when I’ll be able to get over that fear. I also apologize for my poor organization, I wrote this spontaneously and just as it all came to mind. Just please do every thing you for your child, don’t resort to this solution and if you feel like it help try to stop them before theirs more victims.
Thank you for letting me tell my story.
I also went to RGA. I was the only one to ever run away and make it. After being sent twice.
I also attended RGA, I think I started in “B Squad” but got transferred when they “created” C squad. I think it got up to D squad at one point. I don’t remember much. Except hating it. I remember at nights, after “class” everyone would gather in the laundry room and we’d “settle out differences” and there were no supervisors. (Below the neck but above the belt, because the ‘PPC’ meetings didn’t really get things done but we had to “follow the program” I remember several fights, and events that occurred. including 2 in the laundry room, I got in, and 1 in my dorm, everyone left n idk where the supervisors were. (Don’t remember why? He was new and wanted to prove himself?) I remember shortly after I got there, 4 kids stole an employee’s car. And I remember that for the classes, everyone who had the answers would make cheat sheets so no one would fail. (If you needed like science 2, and made a cheat sheet for Spanish 4, you could trade it, and get that A. The classroom supervisors didn’t care either.) I remember sometimes whole squads would be punished for 1 member acting out. And the punishments would be like no dinner or shorter free time. (And the kid who messed it up for everyone, caught a second judgement in the laundry room) I remember sticking to myself. And writing and reading a lot.. I’ve also had the nightmare of waking up in that bunk, or having the first day repeat itself. I still have nightmares from walking down the hall at night to use the bathroom n how dark it was. (I was at the way far end, n the bathrooms were several rooms passed mine. I’ll never scrub that memory of going into that big brick house called Big Red, for a “painting day” and getting lost and was found staring at this picture for hours. Before I snapped out because it was suddenly dark. That structure and whole experience has haunted me for years…
I was there for 15 months. I had a journal but they took it from me..
There so much more but… a lot of it has been repressed ..
Man… it’s insane to think that this much time has passed by and recollecting on even my time at RGA (June 2007-May 2008). I remember everyone so vividly since that’s all I ever saw aside from the usual Staff, John McNabb, Shelly, Herman, etc. There were people who genuinely wanted to help change our lives and tried to help us understand life better. From all the insane stuff I witnessed, all the drama, PPC Meetings, jamming out on Smash Bros, there were good times to reflect on. I remember the days of simplicity when it came to programs and bypassing the domain locks to prevent us from getting on the internet. Those were the good days.
May Austin Stoner and those whose are no longer with us, our squad mates, who made these great memories along side find peace.
I was sent to Royal Peak Academy which was later turned to Royal George Academy. I was in attendance from October 30, 2007 until my home visit on June 30, 2008 which was only 1.5 from my 18th birthday. I knew I needed something to do during the year I was expelled from school and I had a great relationship with my parents I picked my program out. Hardest part on myself was not being with my parents and little brother. I followed the rules so I never experienced any personal trauma but I did get a lot of dental work and go to any type of doctor to take a break from the campus. I did meet some awesome girls from the program that would of never met any other way and I personally liked the female staff like Laura, Shelly, and Melissa that I can remember right off the back. I never was close to Randall Hilton luckily!! Definitely did see some of the negativity with the program from kids being gobbernapped to not being able to have private conversation with our parents but being held accountable for our own behavior was a plus I think it helps me still today with everyday life problems. I would not recommend this unless your child and you both are aware of what the negative and positive are to see if it’s a good fit for your family.