St Elizabeth-based academy helping troubled boys

Now approaching its fifth year of operations, the Atlantis Leadership Academy in Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth, recently welcomed another batch of 'troubled' boys in the hope of rehabilitating them.

The academy caters to boys who have presented severe behavioural challenges to their parents and are in need of special intervention.

The eight young men in the current group are from the US, Canada and the British Virgin Islands.

Academy founder Randy Cook has worked in youth leadership across the US for more than 20 years, but felt more was needed to properly serve the needs of today's young men and decided to venture out on his own.

Cook chose Jamaica for its cultural experience, access to places where the boys could do volunteer work, and its proximity to the boys' countries of origin.

The boys range from age 14 upwards, and the screening process can take as long as four months.

"We spend a lot of time getting to know the family, the child's history, how they operate, how they treat pets, the elderly, were they adopted, what that process was like, family dynamics, is the child on drugs, and so on," Cook said.

Parents are also screened as they can, at times, be more difficult than the children and there is a rule structure to follow. Atlantis has 24/7 staff supervision of the boys.

Having spent time in the South Pacific, the Caribbean and Mexico, Cook says there were many places he could have selected.

But he said he chose Jamaica because when a boy is flying into the island, he would hear good things about the country, and the vibes and beautiful scenery he experiences would lead to a positive mood change "even if he woke up that morning not wanting to go".

"The palm trees, the weather and the scenery cause the boys to drop their guard, so it is a great location for the school," Cook said.

Cook spent months visiting Jamaica, talking to various stakeholders, and looking at weather patterns and water availability.

"When I was scouting for a property here, I just kept coming back to Treasure Beach for its location and safety, and thought it would be perfect. We now occupy a one-and-half-acre property, but we are about to move to a five-acre property along the sea. That new location will be able to accommodate 26 boys," he said.

The home has nine rooms, each with its own bathroom. There are a total of 13 members of staff; the boys do school work online and work directly with assigned teachers.

Jamaican parents have expressed interest, and Cook said children would be accepted if they are a proper fit.

The daily schedule for the boys includes morning and evening workouts, community service, volunteering at schools and going to church on weekends.

Parents are allowed to visit closer to the end of the year, but they keep in touch via phone calls, Skyping, and emails daily, if desired. However, the boys do not have access to personal cell phones or social media activity.

Cook said his decision to leave his wife and two boys was not taken lightly, but with God's guidance.

After much prayer, he heard the words: "If you continue taking care of my children, I will take care of yours. And ever since then, I have never looked back," he said.