5 June 2000
Dear Mr. Keil,
This is a long overdue letter to thank
you for your workshop given to the Alaska Military Youth Academy cadets
and staff. Class 99-3. on 20 March 2000. Your impact on the cadets and
staff alike could be measured by the amount of discussion and comment
regarding your presentation, occurring both immediately after the
workshop and all through the following week as cadets prepared for
graduation.
Especially effective was your discussion
of realizing that the extent of your injuries, physical challenges, and
the medical community's low expectation for your long-term survival did
not excuse continued drug and alcohol abuse. As you are aware, many of
our cadets come to us with a history of drug and alcohol abuse. About
30% of them are also survivors of trauma and abuse situations that
result in severely impaired coping skills. Almost half of our kids have
faced challenges at school, including learning disabilities, undiagnosed
reading problems, misdiagnosed behavior problems, and derogatory peer
responses to their personal and family histories. Your presentation
helped them realize that there is no challenge severe enough to provide
an acceptable excuse for continued drug and alcohol abuse.
You also graphically described to the
workshop participants how no person is able to foresee the extent of the
impact their life choices will have on others. To these kids, who have
recently begun to believe in their ability to have a positive impact on
others, your story confirms everything we have tried to teach them. They
have gone from seeing themselves as a problem to others, to the hope
that they have something to give to themselves, their community and
their world. You confirm that hope and put the obstacles they will face
into a manageable perspective.
Again, we thank you for your contribution
to the future of Class 99-3, and we hope to have you present again to
Class 2000-1 and Class 2000-2. I hope that other groups will take the
opportunity to benefit from your gifts as well.
Respectfully.
T. Diane Smith. MPS, MAC Residential
Counselor
Alaska Military Youth Academy
