Change is in the air at Hanna Boys Center
Located in the picturesque heart of the Valley of the Moon, Hanna Boys Center has been serving troubled youth since 1949. Hanna is a fully-accredited residential school that also provides counseling, health care, spiritual guidance and physical education to its 111 currently enrolled students ages 13 – 18. The mission of Hanna is to change the lives of troubled yet motivated youth through faith, education and caring, helping them grow into productive members of society. Groups of up to 12 boys live in cottages spread across the idyllic 160-acre campus located on Arnold Drive. A dedicated staff strives to truly provide a home away from home for the boys.
Anyone passing by the facility recently can see that there’s a lot going on at Hanna. Since October, major construction has been taking place, with several new buildings recently sprouting up. Facilities worn from decades of use are being renovated and rebuilt. A new Admissions and Alumni Center will welcome visitors, as well as house conference space and an area displaying Hanna history. A new Multi-Use Auditorium will allow for expansion of arts education. Current sports fields are not regulation size, so construction plans also include the creation of two full-size playing fields for baseball, football, lacrosse and soccer.
Hanna currently hosts over 60 local groups who use the campus facilities on a regular basis for sports, meetings and other activities. Expansion of the current facilities will allow Hanna an increased opportunity to foster community with local residents and organizations. Equipped with a stage, professional lighting, and seating as many as 300, the new auditorium will provide another local venue for staging performances and events. The new sports fields will enable the Center to host and build partnerships with other area sports programs. Conference and meeting areas will also be available for use by local organizations.
Aside from the physical changes taking place to the campus, some exciting new programs are also being developed within the facility. In an effort to provide its students with caring adult role models, Hanna has recently announced a new partnership with the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance. Working together, Hanna and the Mentoring Alliance will be matching students with adults who can provide consistent attention, guidance and support, enhancing the progress the students have made during their enrollment as they transition into and become productive members of society. “It’s really an honor to be able to partner with Hanna on this mentoring project. They are a very well respected institution in this Valley and I know a partnership with them will bring a lot of value to both our organizations,” said Kathy Witkowicki, executive director of the Mentoring Alliance.
Scott Singer, chief of operations at Hanna says that the goal is to recruit 16 mentors for 11th grade boys this year. These volunteers will be matched with like-minded students with whom they may possibly share career goals or other interests. Mentors and mentees will then meet at a mutually convenient time, which could include evenings or weekends, for one hour, once a week at the Center. Mentors will be providing a consistent presence, helping students refine career goals and develop living skills, as well as just enjoying friendship and fun. The long-term goal is that these initial matches will develop into life-long, mutually rewarding relationships. Singer is excited to report that two mentors are currently in the process of being paired up with students, and the first mentor / mentee match has recently begun meeting on a regular basis.
Hanna boys give back to the community by donating time each month to volunteering. They have coached Special Olympics teams, cleared hiking trails, and more. Each year at Christmas they throw a party for children at a homeless shelter. The boys would also like the opportunity to earn some money of their own. This is the inspiration for “Hanna Helpers,” a new program being implemented to allow the boys to earn some work experience and a bit of cash by helping local folks with various temporary jobs and projects. Ideal projects for the boys would include weekend yard work, painting, general maintenance and the like, but they will consider all requests. A group of hard working young men from Hanna can make short work of the most daunting task!
Studies have shown that one caring adult relationship can have a lasting impact on a young person. If you’re interested in volunteering as a mentor, please contact Scott Singer, Chief of Operations at Hanna for more information about the program. He can be reached at 996.6767 or ssinger@hannacenter.org. Have a project you just can’t bear to tackle on your own? Consider having the “Hanna Helpers” take care of it for you by contacting Brooke Davis or Jenarro Toback at 996.6767. And if you’d just like to get an up close look at Hanna, tour the campus and meet the boys, consider attending their Open House and Carnival coming up on Sunday, May 15. Hanna Boys Center…changing lives one at a time.