Summit Academy recognized for serving at-risk adolescents
Summit Academy received a statewide award for its work in helping at-risk boys redirect their lives.
The academy, a private, residential school located in Herman, received the statewide Juvenile Court Judges Commission Residential Program of the Year award. It was named the 2024 program of the year by the JCJC in Harrisburg.
“They use holistic-treatment programming, counseling and mentoring to instill hope and optimism in the youth, guiding them toward success and positive behavior change,” Keysla Rodriguez of the JCJC said in a news release.
Summit Academy is a school and treatment facility for boys aged 13 to 18, or in grades seven through 12.
Sal Costanzo, chief administrative director for Summit Academy, said the school offers a wide variety of services to its students, helping give a second chance to those who need one.
Services include a private high school, an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center, mental health therapy and other forms of counseling with licensed psychiatrists. The “Empower Program” helps with personal healing from traumatic events. The academy also has the “Safe Harbor” shelter program, which provides emergency services for young men in need of immediate removal from their home environment.
“We pride ourselves on having a holistic model. A lot of places that are facilities for youth, they'll provide mental heath treatment that's needed, but we will try to focus more on the individuals,” Costanzo said. “We use a holistic model largely because we find that with our kids, there is a fear of failure. And that is at the root, that's often one of the key variables. Positive reinforcement, and recognizing small wins are essential for helping kids recognize success.”
Costanzo said the academy works to engage its residents in its trade programs such as welding, carpentry, photography and other career training programs; as well as a handful of WPIAL-level athletics teams, and activities in its arts and music studio.
With large portions of the student body having previously faced issues such as being chronically truant, goals at the academy are largely based around supporting the students and working them up to participate and engage in an effort to set them up to see success from personal milestones.
While the student body is mostly made up of Pennsylvanians, Summit’s range of programs has drawn adolescents from neighboring states, with some coming from as far as Texas to receive care.
“Pennsylvania by far has the most services and availability, a lot of other states use our state because of the facilities we have,” Costanzo said. “There’s not much like this anywhere.”
Costanzo credits both the students and the staff for their resiliency in succeeding. The staff — which includes therapists, teachers, clinical drug and alcohol inpatient workers, and trades instructors — consists of multiple former students who have come back throughout the years to work at Summit.
“The staff on our team are heroes. Doing what we do is incredibly challenging. Our kids have been through so much, and our team comes to work to better kids’ lives every single day,” Costanzo said.
Costanzo said the academy always is trying to stay up to date with new programs, working with doctors and ensuring treatment is “cutting edge.” For example, the academy is working to become certified in providing dialectical behavioral therapy, a type of therapy that aims to help patients regulate their emotions.
