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Danielle Lane:
What is your name?
Danielle Lane
To which institutions were you sent?
Escuela Caribe
How old were you?
17-18
When were you enrolled in The Program?
April 14, 2005 to August 10, 2006
What was the highest level you attained?
1st, I never gave inÖ
Please describe the circumstances that got you sent to The Program:
Heavy drug use, school suspension, deception to my parents, inability to cope with my mother's death
In which house(s) did you live?
Starr House, TKB
Please describe instances of abuse you experienced while in the program, if any:
The biggest situations that stick out in my head were when I was put on a support called "seperation". I was sentenced to when I was at the house to stand outside on the porch facing a wall pretending to scrub it, I was not permitted to look away from the wall at anytime, when I went to meals I could not acknowledge anyone or say anything. When I was to use the bathroom everyone had to leave the room. When I was at school they put me in the QR (quiet room) I was given a bucket to use as the facilities and it wasn't changed the whole week. I eventually got dehydrated because no one brought me water and I was standing at all times besides meals. I was taken to see the nurse and the nurse was furious. I was given pedialyte and told to keep doing what I was doing.
I did not get along with my housefather in starr house and he was constantly rude to me and talked down to me. Even when I tried to be social and nice he was an ass. I was made to run until I puked and even when other staff talked to him, he made excuses. I remember doing pushups and having my arms kicked out from under me and hitting my chin on the floor. I couldn't tell anyone anything.
I was sent out to discipline (hard manual labor) shortly after being diagnosed with a good sized ovarian cyst, I was not supposed to do too strenuous work. I was made to pick and shovel a latrine for a septic tank. After complaining that I couldn't do the work anymore I was told to do 100 push-ups, I was physically unable to do the task so I was sent to the homelife director's office. I was told I would either have to do 600 exercises or take 6 swats. Because I was unable to do the physical excersise I was forced to take the swats. In order to take swats they have you kneel on the floor and put your head on the seat of a chair while grabbing the rungs. The swats I took were so hard that the backs of my legs were bleeding. I didn't say anything. Later that evening during showers I showed some girls in my house. One of them started crying and saying how wrong it was. The next day we got a new girl and we showed her in the bedroom my legs (which were completely black and blue) to scare her into submission.
Describe abuse of other students you witnessed, if any:
Most of the abuse I witnessed with other students was just constant berating and public humiliation. I was "dating" a guy behind the staff's back and when it was found out we were forced to do pushups and other strenuous stuff side by side. It was humiliating for both of us.
At one time a new girl came in the middle of the night. She was left locked in the bedroom with us and in the bedroom we're not allowed to talk at all otherwise there are huge consequences. She was screaming and crying and kicking things calling us all heartless bitches. She actually escaped out the door by breaking the chain lock. The pitiful alarm went off but no one woke up. The girl who was supposed to be her big sister the next day chased her to make sure she didn't go out the house and run away. Finally the staff woke up and all the administration were called. All we heard were blood curling screams and scuffling. We were not told what actually happened to cause that.
Do you have any good memories of The Program? If so, what are they?
I absolutely love the country of Dominican Republic. The housetrips were amazing and my first houseparents in TKB were amazing. I made some really awesome friends and someone I hope to stay in contact with the rest of my life. Some of the staff are just amazing people, I don't know how they can work there.
What is your overall impression of The Program? Did it “help you”?
It's hard to say since I just left like 3 months ago, but I believe it has made me the person I am today. The counseling was a big help, but some of their tactics they used on me since I never gave in were too harsh. I feel like I outsmarted the program because I left on 0 level and basically told everyone to kiss my ass the last week I was there. Not my finest moment and I really do wish I could changes some things. But yeah, I guess it did help me in some ways.
What do you think of the quality of education you received?
From what I've heard about the schooling a few years ago, things have improved greatly. The curriculum and the teachers are really talented I left with a 3.9 GPA and got an academic scholarship. School was an escape from everything else for me. It wasn't running or doing some hard but menial task.
How old are you today?
19
Did you go to college after attending The Program? If so, what degrees do you have?
I am currently attending Kent State University near Akron, Ohio. I am majoring in Public Relations
What is your profession?
Full time student
Do you consider yourself a Christian today?
I don't believe in organized religion anymore, but I believe in Christ and have my own personal relationship
What effect did “The Program” have on your faith?
I experienced a spiritual rollercoaster while at EC, sometimes I was completely crazy about God, other times I wanted to sell my soul to satan.
Please feel free to add comments here:
Please, please, please parents really consider before you send your kid to EC. I have sooo much emotional baggage because of the traumatic instances. I love a lot of people there though.
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