Teens Gone Wild

By Tiffany Craig Investigative Reporter

18 days in the wild got some Mobile teens working on their social issues. Teens Gone Wild

Published: Mon, December 03, 2007 - 6:40 pm Last Updated: Mon, December 03, 2007 - 7:05 pm

Tiffany Craig

No music, no tv and no phone. What in the world is a teenager to do?

How about "roughing it" at Blakeley State Park! A group of "at risk" teens got basic survival gear and a chance to become one with nature.

The 18 day outing is part of a program called Outward Bound Discovery. It puts teens in stressful situations to help them work out social problems.

Phyllis Richie sent her daughter to the program after everything else failed. She says her 13-year old Kelsea has anger issues. "Taking things away from her. Putting her on restriction. Keeping her out of things. What I tried did not work at all. I kept thinking what else do I do? I kept thinking everything was my fault."

After the wilderness adventure, the teens follow up with counselors for the next ten days. Outward Bound teams up with both Baldwin and Mobile County Schools to find the teens for the program.

The Mobile County Commission paid for the seven students in this program. Without a scholarship, it would cost $3400 dollars. According to the program director, the month long adventure is comparable to a 90 day program.