Mountain View Academy, a juvenile corrections facility owned and operated by Wayne Halfway House Inc., is recognizing and celebrating 25 members of its youth residence program as 2024 high school graduates. The graduates, who have achieved a high school diploma or the equivalent, have overcome significant behavioral challenges and socioeconomic hurdles to get their lives back on track and earn their diplomas.

A cornerstone program of Mountain View Academy is its Step-Down model, which allows residents who have achieved behavioral standards and educational milestones to move to a less secure facility, enroll in work programs and continue their post-secondary education. Of the 2024 graduates, five plan to participate in the Step-Down program and move to a facility in Waynesboro, Tennessee, with assistance to attend post-secondary education or achieve full-time employment.

“Our goal is to achieve maximum success for the youth who are placed in our care,” said Jason Crews, president and CEO of Mountain View Academy. “We take great pride in the success our programs have yielded for our residents. Our hope is that they will continue down the positive path they’ve forged for themselves while at Mountain View.”

Most youth who enter Mountain View have experienced extended periods of truancy or otherwise have a deficit of academic credits. The Step-Down program allows youth residents to eventually reintegrate into their communities, get jobs and build up savings while continuing their educations. After residents have stepped down to the Waynesboro facility, they are able to volunteer in the community, participating in service projects such as volunteering in assisted living centers, nursing homes and community car washes.

There are currently 10 residents participating in Step-Down, and 31 youth have successfully completed the program since its start in 2020. Of those 31 graduates, eight are currently employed in full-time positions, and three are enrolled in post-secondary education.

ABOUT MOUNTAIN VIEW ACADEMY

Mountain View Academy is a hardware-secured youth corrections facility with 92 residents. The academy is privately owned and licensed through the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. Since 2019, it has since graduated more than 150 residents.

ABOUT WAYNE HALFWAY HOUSE INC.

Wayne Halfway House, Inc. (WHH) began serving children in 1992 with a single 16-bed facility in Waynesboro, Tennessee. We now serve youth at six residential facilities in Tennessee and three in Florida, with a daily capacity of 440 youth in residential facilities and community settings. Our corporate management team brings more than 85 years’ experience in child welfare and juvenile justice. We provide strong corporate oversight to ensure consistent, high levels of service.

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