“Penikese offers you the choice between two worlds. One is a place where you can always find someone other than yourself to blame for your troubles. It is a place where what you do and where you go is decided for you by the various agencies that our society created to manage the lives of the people who cannot make it on their own. When you live in this world you can have no real friends since everyone there cares only about himself. The other world is a place where people accept the responsibility for their own lives. Here a man is measured against the values of honesty, compassion, and the courage to do what is right instead of what is easiest. This is the world we hope Penikese will convince you to choose for yourself.” From a school brochure, circa 1975, by George Cadwalader. CONTENTS 2 2003 DIRECTORS’ REPORT 4 BOARD, COMMITTEES, STAFF, AND ASSOCIATES 5 FINANCIALS 6 CLINICAL SPOTLIGHT: WORKING WITH CHOICES 12 PENIKESE ON THE MAP 14 THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM 15 THE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY 16 REFLECTIONS FROM GEORGE CADWALADER 18 OUR DONORS AND SUPPORTERS 1 2003 Annual Report: Over the Bar Penikese at 30 Years 30 years is an extraordinary accomplishment for any small non-profit because, like small businesses, so many come and quickly go. Penikese’s longevity and prosperity is all the more remarkable given its challenges: sharing its Woods Hole home base with several larger, prestigious and acclaimed missions, working with an extremely difficult population, and no less, serving as a private school in an ever-shifting operating climate over which it has little control. Given these tests, Penikese has more than held its own thanks to the vision and tenacity of its selfless and talented staff and loyal supporters. In fact, Penikese has fared far better: after years of striving, the school has finally pulled itself over the bar to reach a new level of strength, capability and influence. Now 30 years old, the Penikese Island School is a compelling and successful mission worthy of its growing recognition. Finances Penikese closed another successful year in the black, still growing but prudently so thanks to Penikese’s capable Finance Committee (page 4), led by Dick King, Treasurer. (For a financial report, please see page 5.) 30 Years Ago: Development The School’s first student arrived on the Island on August 28th and moved into the Penikese raised $535,000 in FY 2003 to fund programs not supported by tuition (such as Aftercare and Community Services), capital improve- already overcrowded “tent city” we had ments, and operational staples (academic, boat supplies, firewood, and established beyond the beach. The arrival recreational, and vocational supplies), and to strengthen Penikese’s of two more kids and several million employee benefit and compensation plans in order to attract and retain horseflies a few days later made it plain talented island staff. we would have to devise some more permanent living arrangements until the Penikese’s all-star development team (page 4), led by Pennie Hare, house was built. Dan and Mavis Clark chair of the Development Committee, and Tammy Barboza, came to our rescue with the loan of La Development Director, continued to expand and strengthen Penikese’s Chanceuse, their 82-foot coastal freighter, development program. In 2003, we hosted a series of successful “friend- as a dormitory. The boat was moored in raising” events in Cummaquid, Marion, Cuttyhunk, and Lincoln. Cuttyhunk Harbor and we lived aboard As a result, Penikese added 213 new donors to its rapidly expanding her until we closed in December. The loan roll of contributors. of their “Frenchman” was just one of the This trend continued with grant funding as well: in 2003, Grants Manager countless things Dan and Mavis have Patricia Peal landed more grants, 23, than ever before, 40% of which done for us. We would not have made it were new to Penikese. For 2004, Patricia promises to ratchet her sights through the first four months without even higher to help strengthen Penikese’s growing mission. their help.” Penikese also established its first-ever planned giving fund, the George —From Penikese Island School Cadwalader Society, in honor of the school’s founding director. Annual Report, 1973 Immediately after its formation, two donors stepped forward to let us know that they have included the school in their estate plans. We hope many more will follow! (For information about joining the George Cadwalader Society, contact Tammy Barboza, Director of Development, 508-548-7276, x207, ([email protected]). 2 The Penikese Associates Transition Penikese’s Nominating Committee, led by Jerry Holtz, Last summer, Pennie Hare stepped down as Board Chair. continued its always-fine work, recruiting talented and Pennie’s indomitable leadership has been responsible for resourceful candidates to keep the Board and School bringing Penikese to another level of accomplishment. We leadership strong. The Nominating Committee’s biggest are grateful that she remains a key colleaugue in the achievement in 2003 was the establishment of a new school’s governance and continues to make wonderful organization of Penikese Associates (page 4) to support things happen for Penikese. and strengthen Penikese by serving as ambassadors and broadcasting its mission to the communities where they work and live. The Physical Plant In 2003, Penikese accomplished two major improvements to its physical plant by rebuilding the 30-year old chimney in the Saltbox and constructing the new Pole Barn storage shed. The former project was quite an undertaking, involving moving over 5 tons of construction material by barge to Penikese Island, and then by wheelbarrow and tractor uphill to the house, all in sweltering August heat! Hats off go to Captain Bill Rogers and Assistant Director David Ellison for shepherding this project through to completion. Census and Enrollment Penikese had its busiest year in recent memory, operating at 94% of capacity. Although public funding for at-risk youth continues to shrink each year, Penikese has managed to keep busy by carving its niche working with the most difficult to place boys, 16 or 17 years old and without family resources, headed for independent living, and looking to Penikese’s Aftercare to support their transition from institutional care to young adulthood. Programs Penikese is no longer just an island program! With every In Conclusion student graduation, Penikese’s family of alumni grows, as does the Penikese Aftercare program, which in We are enormously proud of the school’s achievements and 2003 delivered its highest quality and widest range work ceaselessly to provide the best treatment and of services to Penikese graduates, their families, education for our castaway boys on and off the island with and communities. the indispensable support of you, our community of sustainers and believers. With your continued Likewise, Penikese’s Community Services program fielded encouragement, we speed towards the fulfillment of our more calls than ever from distraught parents seeking a grandest dreams in the years to come. sympathetic ear and guidance (25 in one week alone!), and added to the school’s growing number of talks and Sincerely, trainings with parents, mentors, teachers, and counselors. ‘Thanks’ is too small a word to convey our appreciation and admiration for Clinical Director Pam Brighton and Aftercare Director Shawn Barber for their peerless efforts Toby Lineaweaver Fred Greenman on behalf of our students on and off the island. Executive Director Chair, Board of Directors 3 Board, Committees, Staff, and Associates 30 Years Ago: “The School operated initially with four staff members. Herman Bosch had been a Merchant Marine officer for 15 years before returning to school to earn his Doctorate in Oceanography. David Masch came from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution where he had served for ten years as a staff naturalist. Carl (Chip) Jackson was a Naval Academy graduate who had spent five years in nuclear submarines and then resigned from the Navy to study illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design. I was retired from the Marine Corps and had spent the two preceding years as an Administrator at the Oceanographic.” — from Penikese Annual Report, 1973 Executive Committee STAFF Fred Greenman, Chair of the Board Dick King, Treasurer Mary Alpern, Special Education Instructor Jim Newman, Clerk Shawn Barber, Director of Aftercare BOARD Pennie Hare Tammy Barboza, Director of Development Jerry Holtz Chip Bennett, Shift Leader & Vocational Frederic E. Greenman, Chairman Arts Instructor Richard H. King, Treasurer Aftercare Committee Michael Bornhorst, Shift Leader & James B. Newman, Clerk Shirley McIntire, Chair Direct Care Richard H. Backus, PhD Dick Backus Pamela Brighton, Clinical Director Robert Fleming, Ph.D. Rob Fleming Matthew Burke, Special Education Penelope S. Hare Ted Johnson Instructor Gerald J. Holtz, CPA, MBA Jim Lloyd Abigail Chapman, Island Staff & Ted Johnson John Mendelsohn Direct Care James Lloyd Wendy Nies Denton, Business Manager Derek McDonald Facilities and Operations Committee David Dersham, Island Staff & Shirley McIntire James “Otto” Reber, Chair Direct Care John Mendelsohn, M.D. Dick Backus David Ellison, Assistant Director James “Otto” Reber Seth Garfield * James Gammans, Shift Leader Sherley Smith Derek McDonald Robert Kauffman, Island Staff & Direct Care Toby Lineaweaver, Executive Director Finance Committee Bruce Marshard, Vocational Program ASSOCIATES Dick King, Chair Coordinator Fred Greenman Nancy McDonald, Development Assistant Eric Asendorf Pennie Hare Chris McNamara, Island Staff & John F. Austin Bob Hassey * Direct Care, Vocational Instructor Talbot Baker Jerry Holtz Dorianne Mebane, Benefits Coordinator John K. Bullard Jim Lloyd Thomas O’Connell, Island Staff & Bruce E. Buxton Wendy Denton, Bus. Mngr. (ex officio) Direct Care, Vocational Instructor Elizabeth Campanella Kerri O’Malley, Shift Leader & Direct Care, Andrew R. Clark Island Programs Committee Clinical Assistant James M. Clark Sherley Smith, Chair Patricia Marie Peal, Grants Manager & Werner G.