Agape Boarding School Blog

Agape Boarding School,agape boarding school dorm

2012-02-02T09:18:00.001-06:00

Agape Boarding School,agape boarding school dorm, a photo by Agape Boarding School on Flickr.

Newly remodeled dorm!

Newly remodeled dormitory

2012-02-02T09:15:00.000-06:00

Check out the Newly remodeled dorm!

SAT class for Juniors and Seniors

2012-02-02T08:58:00.002-06:00

If you are interested in helping your son earn a higher score on the SAT, our SAT preparation class may be a big help. Read more on our website:

http://agapeboardingschool.org/sat-class

Basic Foundations For A Teen and Their Importance

2012-02-01T07:30:00.002-06:00

Why do teens reject authority? Why do they reject the wisdom and teaching that they are given? Is there hope? Should we just give up on this generation? The Answer is "NO!" The following scripture has been on my mind and I hope it is encouraging to parents who have their son at Agape or you are a former student at Agape, or maybe you have looked into Agape but are still undecided. Please read this truth.

Luke 6:46-49
46 ¶And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

The goal of every parent is to teach their children and instruct them for their future. Every child will become an adult one day (at least by age anyway). It is important that they get the FOUNDATION that they need. There are two types of teens. (1)Teens that get a foundation, (2)Teens that don't get a foundation. It is obvious what happens to the teens that don't get a foundation. He is like the foolish man that built his house upon the sand. When the rains come, the ruin is great and there is still nothing to build on. Our society is felled with people like this.

The Agape program is all about giving these young men a foundation. The most important ingredient in their foundation is a walk with Christ. That is why there is a spiritual emphasis. The second ingredient is to grow in the basic morals of being a Christian. This is learning many character traits that Agape teaches. Thirdly it is important that they receive an education as part of their foundation. That is why we push for a high school diploma. Once this foundation is built, then they can start construction on their building (their life).

The rains, however, will still come. The difference between the wise and the foolish is the foundation. If there is a firm foundation then the building may suffer some damage but it is much easier to repair than a building without a foundation. The building without the foundation the Bible states "...and the ruin of that house was great."

So parents, don't be weary about your son whether he is at Agape, completed Agape or you are a parent just checking out the school. You just have to help your teen get that foundation. Once he turns 18, your opportunity to give him that foundation is gone. He will then begin to build his life on the "sand" and when the rains come, he will have to pick up the pieces and keep starting over. He will have a much greater chance to withstand the "rains" if the "foundation" is set. Help your teen get the foundation set before it is too late.

God bless all our friends and families. Keep praying for us at Agape as we continue to pour the "cement" into these young men.

January/February Newsletter

2012-01-30T08:10:00.000-06:00

The newest newsletter has been published to the website. You can access it by clicking on the newsletter icon located in the bottom of the left side of the home page. Go to http://agapeboardingschool.org or our new parent site at http://my.agapeboardingschool.org.

We hope you enjoy reading about recent news at Agape Boarding School

New Agape Facebook Page

2012-01-27T13:02:00.000-06:00

Please like our Facebook page! More regular updates coming soon!

NEW FACEBOOK PAGE!

Agape Rhino Basketball takes first place in tournament

2012-01-22T07:38:00.000-06:00

This week the basketball team had the opportunity to participate in a basketball tournament in Hot Springs. Arkansas. Wednesday morning they packed up the bus and drove to Hot Springs. They arrived in time to attend the Wednesday night church service at the Gospel Light Baptist Church which is the church that was hosting the tournament.

They met the other three teams that were competing in the tournament. The boys played hard every game. In fact, the boys were undefeated the entire tournament and won the championship game.

While visiting Hot Springs, they also had the opportunity to see Champion Baptist College. This is a college turning young men into champions for Christ.

The boys were on their best behavior and left a good testimony everywhere they went. We are proud of our team not only for winning but for how well they did on the trip!

GO RHINOS!!!!

Christmas 2011

2012-01-22T07:30:00.002-06:00

Christmas 2011, a set on Flickr.

Merry Christmas to all our friends and families. Thank you to all the families that sent extra gifts for the boys who don't receive any. It was also a joy to see all the families that came to visit. We hope you enjoy all the pictures.

HBJ Results

2012-01-02T06:48:00.001-06:00

With your help, we raised a total of $11,743.87 throughout December. This money was used to purchase more arcade games for the rec. center. We ordered two basketball shooting lanes and an upright Pacman/Gallaga arcade! We didn't raise enough for the skeeball but maybe next year.
The boys will enjoy these for many years to come. Below are pictures of both of them. Thank you to all who helped by donating.

December 28, 2011

2011-12-28T14:25:00.000-06:00

The Happy Birthday Jesus has been a great success. Here is an update of where we are at. We have raised enough for both basketball hoops and will be ordering them together. We can get a special deal on the skeeball if we order all three at the same time but we are $1,194 shy of the amount needed to buy all three. If you have not donated and would like to, the boys would really appreciate your help. If we do not receive the remainder soon then we will wait until our next fundraiser to buy the skeeball and try to raise the rest then. We know this is a difficult time for everyone and we really appreciate those who have made generous donations. You can donate online or send donations to the office. Please write "Happy Birthday Jesus" as the memo so it is used towards the games.

HBJ update

2011-12-21T09:40:00.000-06:00

We only need $1200 more and we are able to buy 2 of these!

If we receive more than $1200 then we will start saving for one of these!

Thank you for your support. For your convenience, you can donate online!

All donations tax deductible

Happy Birthday Jesus

2011-12-17T18:40:00.001-06:00

The fundraiser is going well. We almost have enough to buy 2 of the 4 games we want to purchase for the rec center. Thank you to all who have donated. If you have not given yet, it is not too late to send your donation or to donate online.

Also, if you would like to send a personalized ornament with your donation, your loved one would appreciate the opportunity to put it on the tree. The tree has been personalized for 5 years now. It was a joy putting ornaments on the tree from previous years and remembering the former students. We hope you will help out with this Agape tradition.

If you would like to know more about the Happy Birthday Jesus fundraiser and the ornaments, you can find more information in the November newsletter.

Thanks again to all who have already donated. The boys will really enjoy the new games.

November 2011 Newsletter

2011-12-02T16:35:00.000-06:00

The November newsletter has been published. You can access it at http://agapeboardingschool.org. Just click on the newsletter on the left side of the website. Almost every student is pictured somewhere in the newsletter. Enjoy!

http://agapeboardingschool.org

Agape Rhinos Basketball tournament in Chicago

2011-12-01T07:13:00.000-06:00

The basketball team traveled to Chicago this week to play in a tournament with several Christian schools. The boys always have a great time at this tournament.

This year the team is red hot! They played three schools yesterday and won all three games! They played the home team WHich is a large Christian School in Chicago (Teens of Hammond Baptist Academy). This is always the most important team to beat because the Agape boys always long to beat them every year. This year was no different. The Agape basketball team put everything into this game, from defense to offense. At the end of the game the score was 38-37-Rhinos! What an exciting win.

The boys will be playing today and tomorrow also. We will keep you updated.

GO RHINOS!

"Happy Birthday Jesus"

2011-12-01T06:48:00.000-06:00

2011 Wrestling Camp Week

2011-11-23T15:02:00.001-06:00

2011 Wrestling Camp Week, a set on Flickr.

Here are the rest of the photos from Wrestling camp. I added several! Enjoy.

Help Ma'am win

2011-11-21T08:56:00.000-06:00

Ma'am needs your help. Our community is having a pet contest and Ma'am has entered her camel. You can vote once a day. Please tell all your friends to vote too! You can vote by clicking the button below. Ma'am thanks you for your help.

2011-2012 Rhino Basketball Schedule

2011-11-19T15:53:00.000-06:00

November 30-December 2
Tournament at First Baptist Church in Hammond Indiana

December 9
Rhinos play @ Central

January 6
Rhinos play @ Tabernacle

January 27
Rhinos play vs. Central

February 3
Rhinos play vs. Tabernacle

February 16-18
OACS Post Season Tournament @ Lebanon

Agape Rhinos Basketball Team takes 3rd place

2011-11-19T15:46:00.000-06:00

The Basketball team participated in a basketball tournament in Oklahoma city. They did very well this year. This is a tournament that they participate in every year. This year they took third place. CONGRATULATION TO THE BASKETBALL TEAM!

CHRISTMAS IDEA LIST

2011-11-17T18:06:00.002-06:00

2011 Wrestling Camp winners!

2011-11-05T09:32:00.000-05:00

Here are the results by weight class!

2011 Wrestling Camp Week

2011-11-03T13:40:00.001-05:00

2011 Wrestling Camp Week, a set on Flickr.

Here are some new photos!

ATTENTION PARENTS!

2011-10-31T10:17:00.000-05:00

This week is our wrestling camp week. The boys always enjoy this week. We will be posting pictures throughout the week of the wrestling camp.

We also wanted to let you know that you will only be able to reach the staff men after 4:00 PM. If you wish to speak with the deans, medical coordinator, principal, etc., please call between 4:00 PM-6:00 PM.

Thank you for your help.

2011 Football Camp Week

2011-10-30T20:44:00.001-05:00

2011 Football Camp Week, a set on Flickr.

Agape's first year with full contact football! Go Rhinos

2011 Father & Son Golf

2011-10-30T20:43:00.001-05:00

2011 Father & Son Golf, a set on Flickr.

Here are some pics of the 2011 Golf Tournament!

Walnut Festival 2011

2011-10-30T20:42:00.001-05:00

Walnut Festival 2011, a set on Flickr.

Agape Boys Help out at the 2011 Community Walnut Festival!

Airport changes

2011-10-29T06:09:00.002-05:00

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Effective January 1, 2012, we will no longer transport students to the Kansas City airport, but will only transport them to the Springfield, Missouri airport (SGF). The cost for this transport has been reduced to $50 and is due before we take your son to the airport. There will be no exceptions.

Sincerely,

James L. Clemensen

September/October Newsletter

2011-10-26T10:25:00.000-05:00

ATTENTION FAMILIES & FRIENDS,

A current newsletter has been posted on the website. If you would like to read it, go to http://agapeboardingschool.org and click on the newsletter icon in the bottom left corner. You can also "Subscribe" to the newsletter by entering your email address in the "SUBSCRIBE" field at http://agapeboardingschool.org.
We hope you enjoy the newsletter. Send your comments to news@agapeboardingschool.org

Recent events at Agape:

2011-10-07T09:56:00.001-05:00

The weather has been great! The boys have enjoyed time outside. It has been too cold to use the pool though. Hopefully God will provide the opportunity to make the pool indoor. I know Mr. Clemensen has the plans already but is still praying for the finances. The pool was actually donated 10 years ago by one parent. The Blessman family donated the entire amount needed to put the large pool in. This was definitely a great sacrifice but the joy it has brought for thousands of teens to enjoy has been well worth it to them!

The boys that were able to be part of the football camp had a blast! There will be more information about football camp in the newsletter late next week! Only 40 boys were able to be part of the camp. We had three full time youth workers come to help with the camp. They were Evangelist Randy Taylor, Pastor Randy Dignan and his Assistant Pastor Nick Dignan (his brother). The camp went great and we have lots of pictures. These will be up soon.

Mr. Clemensen was given an honory doctorate last week by the Evangelistic Schools of Leadership. It was presented to him for his dedicated years of service in founding Agape Boarding School. Congratulations to our founder who is now Dr. James Clemensen!

Stockton held its annual "Walnut Festival". This is a big event in a small community. The Agape boys play a big role in this large event. They watch the two entrance gates, direct traffic, help vendors with setup and clean up throughout the day. It may not sound like much fun but the boys enjoy the time away from school. They also get to see the parade and many other events. Their favorite though is the free food for vendors. GOTTA LOVE TEENS!

Haloween Candy for the boys

2011-09-25T08:54:00.000-05:00

This is Ma'am's annual request for donations towards the students candy bags. Ma'am loves to spoil your sons. Of course everyone around here loves Ma'am! If you would like to contribute towards this, the boys would greatly appreciate it. For the past several years, Ma'am has been able to give out an entire bag of candy to each student. This is a real treat to them. You can donate online or send a check. Please specify it "Halloween candy". Thank you for all who consistently donate towards these extra things for the boys to enjoy. God bless.

Father & Son Golf Weekend

2011-09-25T08:48:00.001-05:00

A hearty welcome to the fathers who have come to spend a weekend with their son. Students that have been enrolled for over 8 months and have received their burgundy status were rewarded with an extra weekend visit for any dads that could come. Monday there will be an 18 hole golf tournament along with a prime rib dinner. We will have pictures in the newsletter.

2011 Football Camp

2011-09-08T17:34:00.000-05:00

Dear friends & families,

The boys are very excited about football season coming up. THis will be the first year that Agape has ever offered full contact football. It will be a lot of fun for the boys. If you have signed your son up, please promptly send your payment to ensure that he gets to participate in the football camp that the school is sponsoring. Since this is the first year we have offered football, we have needed to purchase all the equipment. We could use all the help we can get. If you are interested in donating towards our football program, it would allow us to purchase all the equipment needed. The boys would greatly appreciate your help. The more equipment we purchase, the more young men that will be able to participate. There are several more students that would love to be part of this but we lack the equipment to allow them to participate. If you would like to donate towards the football program or would like to sponsor another student, you can do so by donating online or sending a check to the main office. Please designate your donation as "football program". Thank you for all who have helped out in the past to allow us to have more opportunities for the young men. God bless.

2011 Rodeo Finals on youtube!

2011-09-08T17:22:00.004-05:00

We just completed uploading the entire rodeo finals week on youtube. All videos are in high definition. You can access them by going to our website, http://agapeboardingschool.org and clicking on the youtube link in the bottom left corner. See who won each event for the 2011 season. Thank you to all the boys who helped and participated in the rodeo. Also a thank you to the parents who supported the rodeo and for Mr. Clemensen building the arena so the boys can enjoy these events. We hope you enjoy the videos!

2011 Football at Agape

2011-09-07T14:45:00.000-05:00

Today a representative from Ridell came and fitted the boys that signed up for football! The boys are really excited about having full contact football at Agape. We hope that we will be able to allow more students to participate next year. This year we had to limit the number of students because we were only able to order enough equipment for about 48 students.

2011 Rodeo Final Results

2011-09-03T12:30:00.000-05:00

Silver Dollar City 2011

2011-08-31T11:55:00.001-05:00

Silver Dollar City 2011, a set on Flickr.

The boys had a great time at Silver Dollar City. We quickly went on every ride. One of the roller coasters we went on twice! It was a lot of fun. The Clemensens also took us to Lambert's Cafe. We ate a great dinner. Mr. Clemensen definitely knows how to cook a good meal-LOL. It was a fun filled day for all of us. Enjoy the pictures.

August 2011 Newsletter

2011-08-27T15:14:00.000-05:00

The August Newsletter has been published to the website. You can view it by clicking the newsletter icon on the homepage of our website:

View Agape website

2011 School Pictures!

2011-08-24T11:52:00.000-05:00

Do Right Trip To Watch The Springfield Cardinals Baseball Game

2011-08-21T19:15:00.000-05:00

If your son has earned his way on the Do Right club, he may be eligible for a free field trip. We will start the afternoon by going to all you can eat pizza! After dinner, we will go to Hammon's Field to watch the Springfield Cardinals. There is no cost for this trip; however, you must fill out a "Consent Form" for your son to go. To request a consent form or if you have any questions, contact Frank Trainer at the main office. The form must be received by August 23, 2011.

Agape To Start Full Contact Football in 2011

2011-08-20T19:16:00.001-05:00

That's right! We are very excited to announce that we are starting football on our campus. The boys have wanted to do this for many years but have not been able to due to safety concerns; however, we have been able to purchase some equipment and are planning to purchase more next month. There will be a representative from Ridell to professionally fit each student that signs up for the 2011 Ozark Christian Boys Football Camp. We plan to make this an annual event. This year will just be a football camp and next year we are planning on having a full season. There is limited availability for this so you must sign up now! Only 48 students will be able to participate in the camp this year due to limited equipment; however, we hope that in 2012 we will be able to open it up for more students. You can read more about this by clicking the following link!

2011 Football Camp Information & Sign-up Forms

2011 Rodeo #2 Ranch Event

2011-08-14T09:23:00.001-05:00

The Walkers Trick Horse-Champ

2011-08-14T09:23:00.000-05:00

2011 Rodeo #2 Cattle Events

2011-08-14T09:22:00.001-05:00

2011 Rodeo #2 Chute Dogging

2011-08-14T09:22:00.000-05:00

July 2011 Bull Riding

2011-08-14T09:21:00.000-05:00

Students Go to Lambert's Cafe

2011-08-12T15:30:00.001-05:00

Students Go to Lambert's Cafe, a set on Flickr.

Enjoyable dinner experience for the third place winners in the walk-a-thon fundraiser! Great Job!!!

Adrenaline Rush Obstacle Course

2011-08-08T22:05:00.001-05:00

Adrenaline Rush Obstacle Course, a set on Flickr.

This was fun!

2011 Mechanical Bull Competition

2011-08-08T12:53:00.001-05:00

2011 Mechanical Bull Competition, a set on Flickr.

YEEHAW! The boys loved the Mechanical Bull that Evangelist Kevin Walker brought!

2011 Take The Challenge Camp

2011-08-08T12:51:00.001-05:00

2011 Take The Challenge Camp, a set on Flickr.

Here are the photos from the 19 that went to the "Take the Challenge Camp"

July Newsletter

2011-08-04T11:31:00.000-05:00

The July newsletter has been published and is available at our website. Go to http://agapeboardingschool.org and click on the newsletter icon in the left column. We hope you enjoy reading it!

PSAT now available at Agape Boarding School

2011-08-01T09:15:00.000-05:00

Dear Parents/Guardians

Your son has shown an interest in taking the PSAT Exam on October 15, 2011. The PSAT is a standardized test given primarily to high school sophomores and juniors to give them a preliminary idea of how well they’ll score on the SAT. The test is also used to determine which high school juniors are eligible for National Merit recognition, as well as scholarships. I am encouraging parents of sophomores, juniors and seniors, who have not taken the SAT or are planning to take it again, to sign their sons up for the PSAT as well. There is no risk. Potential colleges will not see these scores. Only you, your son, Agape and the NMSC (the National Merit Scholarship Corporation – cosponsors of the PSAT) will receive copies of your son’s score reports.

The principle benefit for all students who sit for the PSAT is practice. I am recommending that all students in my fall, 2011 SAT class, and those planning on taking my class at some future date, also take the PSAT. All that is necessary to register your son for this important test is to send a check in the amount of $25.00 made out to Vernon E. Sorensen, Jr. Please do not make your check payable to Agape. Since we will be giving the PSAT here at Agape, no other fee is required.

It is important that you send your check in by August 16, 2011, to guarantee that your son will be able to sit for the test. While some exceptions may be made after this date, there can be no guarantees.

Please contact me at the number shown below with any questions.

Sincerely,

Vern Sorensen

Testing Coordinator

Dinner Menu for August

2011-08-01T09:13:00.000-05:00

You can see what meals are being served by checking out the menu on our website. You can access it by going to agapeboardingschool.org, place your mouse pointer on the news link. Choose "Dinner Menu.PDF" from the list of pages.

2011 Fall SAT Prep Class

2011-08-01T09:10:00.000-05:00

Parents of College-Bound Agapé Students:

I am very excited to announce that, once again, Agapé will be offering a review class for students that are planning on taking the SAT (for college admission) exam in the spring. The class will consist of a total of 35-40 hours of hands-on class work which will include three timed practice tests (patterned exactly after the actual SAT). These tests will be administered during the first class to act as a diagnostic tool, approximately three weeks into the class to assess progress and a week before the actual exam in preparation.

Comparable classes are offered for around $1,000 and only include the class itself! Our class will include: the class itself (briefly described above) and two “textbooks” (Cracking the SAT, 2012 Edition, The Princeton Review and The Official SAT Study Guide, College Board SAT—by the actual test authors). The total cost for all of this will be only $350!

The only additional costs your student will have is registering for the test itself (the test date we are planning on is November 5, 2011) and transportation to the Springfield test site (please see attached letter).

In order to allow for enough class time prior to the exam on November 5th, we would like to begin this class no later than Saturday, September 24, 2011. Please call us as soon as possible and mail your checks to the school payable to: Vernon E. Sorensen, Jr. Please do not make your checks payable to Agapé. Prompt payment is especially important to assure timely ordering and delivery of the books.

I look forward to hearing from you soon and working with your son on this important step in his academic life!

In His Love & Service!

Vernon E. Sorensen, Jr. (Brother Vern)

Testing Coordinator

July 2011 Newsletter

2011-07-29T13:39:00.000-05:00

Dear Parents & Friends,

The July newsletter is now available online. Go to http://agapeboardingschool.org and click on the newsletter icon in the bottom left corner. We hope you enjoy reading about all the events that took place this month. You can also read a testimony of a student currently in the program. We hope you enjoy the news. God bless.

Agape goes on monopoly board

2011-07-28T08:39:00.006-05:00

That's right. It is official. Agape has made it big. There are many versions of monopoly out there. They have star wars monopoly, disney monopoly, Toy story monopoly, dog-o-poly and now...just releases...Stockton-opoly! Quantities are limited but if you would like to purchase one you can do so for $35 (+$5 shipping). You can buy these on the website. Just click on the "donate" button, enter $35 (+$5 shipping), and specify that it was for the Stockton-opoly. Agape Boarding School is one of the title deeds too. Here are some pictures and quantities are LIMITED. When they are gone...they are gone! There are only 400 of these in print and many other places are selling them. This would be a great game for the family to play, especially if there is a brother or sister here.

Agape website like button

2011-07-14T17:01:00.000-05:00

Can you take a minute to look at our website. We have made some changes including google's like button. It is on the bottom left of the site by the facebook icon. It says "+1". this lets google know you like this site. Please click on it so it will count your vote.

http://agapeboardingschool.org

Class of 2011 Graduation

2011-07-13T12:27:00.001-05:00

Class of 2011 Graduation, a set on Flickr.

Graduation Photos are online. Congratulations class of 2011!

Agape Boarding School Freedom Celebration

2011-07-08T13:12:00.000-05:00

THere are many pictures and videos of all the events that took place at Agape last weekend. You can view these by going to our website and clicking the "NEWS" Link in the main menu. We hope you enjoy watching the videos and viewing the pictures. If you find your son, leave a comment so I know you saw it.

Visit us at: agapeboardingschool.org

July 2, 2011 Rodeo & Patriotic Program

2011-07-04T06:19:00.001-05:00

July 2, 2011 Rodeo & Patriotic Program, a set on Flickr.

New pictures of the events that took place Saturday, July 2, 2011. It was an action packed day. We hope you enjoy looking through the pictures.

May/June Newsletter is on the website

2011-06-30T15:00:00.000-05:00

If you would like to view the newest newsletter for Agape Boarding School, you can find it on the website. Go to http://agapeboardingschool.org and click on the newsletter icon on the bottom right margin. We hope that you will enjoy reading about current events at Agape Boarding School. The rodeo is this weekend so there will not be any calls on Saturday. We should have many pictures up of this weekend. The rodeo will also be on youtube sometime next week!

God bless all our friends and families.

2011 Walk-a-thon Winners!

2011-06-29T09:38:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the winners of the walk-a-thon fundraiser contest.

SAT Prep class improves scores by over 10%

2011-06-25T07:02:00.000-05:00

We are pleased to report that the Spring 2011 SAT Class achieved a score improvement of nearly 200 points (from an average score of 1383 on the first practice on 3/19 to a 1570 average on the actual test taken on 5/7/11)! We had several scores over 1600 and one boy received 1920!

In His Love & Service!

Bro. Vern

Hebrews 11:25

Three days left until walk-a-thon

2011-05-24T14:22:00.002-05:00

Dear friends,

Thank you for all who have helped, donated and prayed for this year's walk-a-thon. We have raised 70% compared to last year. If you have not given yet, would like to give more, or know someone else that may sponsor your loved one, we would love to have the extra support. There are only a few days until the walkathon; however, the contest does not end until June 17th. Please get your donation in quickly. Help out by encouraging friends anyone you know that may sponsor. You can send this email to everyone on your list and ask them to help as well. You can also donate online. Just click the donate link at agapeboardingschool.org and put your loved ones name in the comments section for your donation.

We hope everyone will do their part to make this year's walk-a-thon the most successful yet. If you do not know anyone to sponsor, Mr. Clemensen is collecting sponsors and will be participating and would love to have your help. God bless.

Agape Seniors go on trip

2011-05-24T14:15:00.000-05:00

The Seniors left today for a day off campus. The Seniors left this morning. They were going to a go cart track for their activity. I know they will have fun there. It will be a time to see their driving skills. Of course none of them will speed..right? After their activity they will be meeting the Clemensens at Lambert's Cafe. This is a very unique place to eat. This si a restaurant where they throw hot rolls at you. It also is all you can eat. They bring you your order and if you want more, you just ask. They certainly will come home full! Pictures will be up later this week.

Parents planning a visit to Agape

2011-05-18T17:02:00.000-05:00

If you are planning a visit to Agape Boarding School, we have put together a web page with suggestions of where to stay and things to do nearby. We hope this web page will be helpful in planning your visit with your son. You can view the page at the following link:

http://agapeboardingschool.org/accomodations.html

Walk-a-thon Fundraiser Nearing End

2011-05-18T16:58:00.000-05:00

This year's walk-a-thon fundraiser has gone by fast. We are behind our goal for this year's amount raised. If you have not sent in your sponsor form or if you did not receive one, please take the time to print a form and fill it out. If you would like to donate online you can do so by clicking here. Mr. Clemensen is also participating this year and is seeking sponsorship. If you would like to sponsor Mr. Clemensen, you can do so by donating online and specify "Mr. Clemensen walk-a-thon" or by filling out his sponsor form. Here are the results as of today:

Total raised so far: $24,507.

Total sponsors forms sent: 3,282

Sponsor forms returned: 717

Total promised: $4,219

Amount raised last year: $40,593

The 10K walk will be May 27th. The contest deadline for donations is June 15th and then the walk-a-thon winners will be announced. Thank you so much for all the parents who have helped make this year's walk-a-thon a success thus far. We hope to break last year's amount but it will take the help of everyone.

Mr. Clemensen joins walkathon fundraiser

2011-05-14T12:21:00.000-05:00

Mr. Clemensen just announced that he will be participating in this year's walk-a-thon to raise money for the ministry. If you would like to sponsor him he has completed a sponsor form for you to print and send in. You can donate online also. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Sponsor Mr. Clemensen here >>

ATTENTION ALL MOMS!

2011-05-07T18:33:00.000-05:00

If this is not your weekend to call you can still call in and talk with your son for mothers day. This call is limited to 5 minutes so everyone will get an opportunity to talk with their mother! God bless all the Agape moms.

2011 Yearbooks for sale!

2011-04-20T13:35:00.000-05:00

Agape Boarding School Yearbooks are now on sale and you can buy them through the school office or directly from the publisher. This is a great item to purchase that will only be available for a short time. Reserve your copy early!

Order here >>

If your son arrived after March 2011, he will not be pictured in the yearbook.

Very Important Policy!

2011-04-17T19:27:00.001-05:00

Please read the following policy that every parent signs when they enroll at Agape:

______ "Parent(s)/guardian understand that they are never to discuss with the student when he will be removed from the school. This always causes problems. Usually a student will develop a bad attitude and not work as hard in school when he knows he is leaving."

EVERY PARENT has signed this. We have several students that have already been told a date when they are going home! Guess how that student is doing in the program? You guessed right. TERRIBLE. I spoke with one student last week that knows when he is going home and he refuses to do school work now. Well, that really shows us how he is really doing...right? Another student told me today that he is going home in 31 days. This is a student that 2 months ago was one rank away from being a captain! He has NO rank now because he said- "It doesn't matter because I already know I am going home!" Once again, we now know how well he is really doing. We have been doing this for over twenty years. We have these rules for a reason! You want your son to follow your rules but yet you don't follow the school's rules...and you came to us for help? You would think a parent that is paying tuition and wants there son back would follow the rules so this can be accomplished.

We had another student leave today...and he didn't know he was leaving until we packed him up. He worked hard until the minute he went home. I bet that young man will do great because someone followed the rules.

If you have told your son when he is going home, you broke your agreement with the school! Many parents follow the rules and there son is doing well. Thank you to those who listen. We too want your son to succeed. We are here to help if you have any questions.

Affordable Boarding School for boys

2011-04-17T07:23:00.002-05:00

If you are a parent looking for an affordable Christian boarding school, Agape Boarding School may be exactly what you are looking for. The average cost of traditional boarding schools, therapeutic boarding schools, military schools, teen boot camps, and wilderness programs is over $5,000 per month.m Agape Boarding School is a Christian program for struggling teens with a full academic program, vocational training, group and individual counseling, and a first class campus. If you are struggling with your teen and don't know what to do, Agape is a clean, safe, and effective program that you can trust! Call 417-276-7215 and speak with an admissions counselor today. If you would like an admissions counselor to contact you, fill in our inquiry form and we will get in contact with you.

Visit our teen boarding school website

Winning team for week 3 of the walk-a-thon fundraiser!!!

2011-04-17T07:08:00.000-05:00

A-K earned 12,816 points

L-Z earned 7,446 points

Winning team is...A-K.

Walk-a-thon team contest

2011-04-17T07:05:00.000-05:00

Has your son told you about the walk-a-thon fundraiser? This is our sixth annual walk-a-thon and this year the contest has many new incentives for the boys to participate. The school has been divided into two teams: If your last name start with the letter A-K then you are on team 1. The captain of that team is Mr. Andrew Lopez. If your last name starts with L-Z then you are team 2, led by Mr. Bradley Price. On Friday we announce how many points each team has earned for the week. It starts over each week. The team with the most points gets to go to the theatre room for a movie with popcorn and drinks. This is a real treat for the students. There are several ways to earn points.

One point for each sponsor form sent (or received)
Three points for each dollar raised
Ten points for each sponsor

We are looking for 100% participation in this fundraiser. Students that don't participate cost their team 500 points! All a student has to do to participate is send out 10 sponsor forms. He is allowed to send 5 forms per address so he only has two send out 2 envelopes with forms to be a participant.

If you have not sent envelopes for your son to participate, you only have a few more weeks to do so. Last year the walk-a-thon brought in over $40,000 which was used for campus improvements. This allows us to be one of the most affordable boarding schools in the U.S.
This year Ma'am is praying for $150,000 so construction can begin on the new parents building which will be a special place for parents when they come to visit the campus. We hope you will participate to make this fund-raiser a great success.

Need a sponsor form? Download it here.

Want to make a donation? Donate here.

Want to learn more about the contest and prizes including a 3 day stay in Branson with show tickets(2) to different Branson attractions (almost $1,000 value). Learn more here.

Easter Candy Bags for boys

2011-04-06T20:08:00.002-05:00

Maam is in need of candy money for the boys easter bags. She likes to give all the boys a giant bag of easter candy. The more that comes in for this the larger the bags get. As of now, she has not collected any money for this. If you would like to give towards this please send a check or donate online. Please specify "Easter Candy for boys" The boys will enjoy this greatly.

Donate Online Here!

Testimony from a former student

2011-04-06T19:59:00.001-05:00

Danny Perez as a student at Agape!

I haven't talked to you in a long time I hope all is well with you & your family. I'm finally swallowing my pride and starting to call back and speak to staff. I was too ashamed to admit that your predictions how I'd do when I got home were right and that I wasn't ready to leave Agape. As far as drugs & alcohol go I've pretty much stayed away from all that despite that fact that the majority of my friends are completely involved it but with time I'm slowly distance myself from them. But other than that I've started going to church again and have been trying to work on a lot of things to be the Christian I should be. Yes Agape isn’t a fun summer camp but it can help you tremendously if you take what it has to offer. I know I've got a long way to go to becoming the Christian I should be but if you ever have a parent who'd like to hear about Agape from a former student I'd be happy to talk them. Parents really make such a difference. My parents should of NEVER taken me home when they did, and I can honestly say if my mom never told me when I was going home & bad mouthed about the school to me I know I would of done so much better in the program. So many of the rules make sense now looking back on it. Well please let everyone know I said hi & I'll be calling soon. My cell # is 9545521847 an email is d.perez678@yahoo.com if yourself or parents ever want any feedback. Take Care.

2011 Walk-a-thon Fundraiser Team Contest

2011-04-06T12:57:00.001-05:00

The school is divided into two teams. Last names starting with A-K are on Bro Lopez's team. Last names starting with L-Z are on Bro Prices team. Students receive points for their participation. It is 1 point for each mailer sent, 3 points for each dollar raised, and 10 points for each sponsor. Whichever team has the most points this week will get to go to the theatre and watch a movie. They will also have popcorn to eat during the movie. THe winner will be announced Friday at lunch time. We hope you will help your son participate. He can win many other prizes for his participation. If you have any questions, you can call the office. If you would like to donate you can do so at the following link:

Walk-a-thon donation

Please pass this link to as many people as you can asking them to support the fundraiser. Remember, each sponsor will earn points for your son's team!

Agape Boys go to St. Louis

2011-04-06T12:44:00.000-05:00

A group of boys got the opportunity to go see the arch in St. Louis. This was a fun filled day off campus for the group. They learned some history of the gateway to the west, enjoyed some spectacular sites and views, and ate at an all you can eat buffet. That is always a big hit with a teen! Here are some pictures of their day. You can view them by clicking the link below:

Pictures of St. Louis trip

Walk-a-thon information

2011-03-23T15:23:00.000-05:00

Learn more how you can help support the ministry of Agape Boarding School and also help a student win many valuable prizes! You can learn more at the following link:

2011 Walk-a-thon

We hope you will support this year's fundraiser. God bless.

Sixth annual walk-a-thon fundraiser starts this weekend

2011-03-19T12:23:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, the walk-a-thon fundraiser contest was announced to the students. We have sent a letter to all the parents so they know how they can help participate. There will be more available on the website soon. We hope everyone will do their part to help the walk-a-thon be a big success.

Red Cross Blood Drive at Agape Boarding School

2011-03-17T17:57:00.002-05:00

Yesterday the American Red Cross held a blood drive for students 16+ (and parent consent) and staff were able to donate blood. Red Cross studies show that every blood donation given can be used to save 3 lives. Agape Boarding School is a ministry with the mission to help others and this is one way to influence the young men to give back to their community and help others. A new goal was reached yesterday. Thanks to a record number of donors, Agape was able to donate 60 bags of blood. Thank you to all who participated and thank you to the parents who gave consent for your son to participate. Each donor got a free t-shirt, snacks, and a soda. Red Cross host a blood drive every 56 days at our school which is the minimum required amount of days allowed between blood donations. We encourage everyone to look up your local Red Cross and see how you can help by donating blood too!

Congratulations to the Clemensens for 20 years service!

2011-03-10T14:57:00.003-06:00

March 10, 2011

Dear Friends of Agapé Baptist Church and Boarding School:

As many of you know, the June 2011 graduation will be Agapé’s 20^th graduation service. As a way to honor the work that Mr. Clemensen and Ma’am have done, the Board of Directors of Agapé has asked that we take up an offering to send the Clemensens on a paid trip to Hawaii, tentatively scheduled for August of 2011.

The cost of the trip would be about $15,000 and would include travel for the Clemensens and Ma’am’s uncle and aunt, for a total of 4 people. We are asking that you help any way that you can. As of right now, we have 150 boys in the program and have had hundreds of young men come through the program. If everyone would get involved then we can make this goal easily and with a minimal donation on each person’s part. All money will go either for the trip or spending money.

Also, please feel free to write a thank you letter to the Clemensens. All letters and the trip details will be given to the Clemensens at the graduation service on June 4, 2011. Of course, everyone is welcome to come to this special service.

We ask that you keep this a secret from them. You can send any donations to the school address and made out to “Agapé Boarding School” and put “Hawaii trip” in the comment section. Please write “Attn: Rich” on the outside envelope so Ma’am doesn’t open the mail accidentally. We want them to be completely surprised.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me or Mrs. Kaszak for additional details.

Thank you in advance for your help!

In Christ,

Rich Kaszak

Director

Gospel Music CD's Now Available!

2011-02-24T15:37:00.001-06:00

We have 3 Gospel CD's for sale. These are professional recordings that where recorded in a studio at Faith Music Missions in Evansville, Indiana. They are $12 each and shipping is free. If you would like more than one than the price is $10 each. If you are interested in purchasing one, you can send a check payable to Agape Boarding School. Please put "Gospel CD's" in the memo section. Please designate which discs you would like. Below are the CD's to choose from.

Three of our staff (also sisters) have recorded their first album!

Jim Blake has a great voice that you will really enjoy!

This was a group of students that recorded a CD back in 2008!

Rhino Basketball

2011-02-23T15:17:00.000-06:00

Last Friday was a great victory for the rhino basketball team. Everyone cheered the rhinos to victory. You can see many more photos at the link below: If your son is not on the basketball team, you can still look for your son in the balcony! Good luck.

Basketball photos

SAT Prep class

2011-02-09T16:31:00.000-06:00

It is almost time for the Agape Boarding School Spring SAT Prep Class. If your son is a college bound Junior or Senior, you can enroll him in the SAT prep class. You can find out more information on the Agape Christian Boarding School website or click the link below:

SAT prep class

Lots of snow!

2011-02-02T13:55:00.002-06:00

We were hit with a lot of snow in Missouri. I think we had almost two feet of snow along with some three feet drifts around the campus of Agape Boarding School. We did not get much ice and we are working on cleaning up the roads, sidewalks, and driveways around the campus. The boys also had an opportunity to have some fun in the snow. You can see several pictures at the following link:

Snow pictures

January/February 2011 Newsletter

2011-01-19T16:24:00.002-06:00

The January/February 2011 Newsletter has been published to the website. You can access it at the following link:

http://agapeboardingschool.org/currentnewsletter.pdf

We hope you enjoy reading it. We also want to thank all who helped with the "Happy Birthday Jesus" fundraiser. We raised enough money to complete the theatre room for all the students to enjoy. We also received many specialized ornaments for the giant Christmas tree.

New Year's Eve

2011-01-14T12:38:00.001-06:00

NewYear2011
Originally uploaded by Agape Boarding School

Happy New Year!

Chapel Today

2011-01-14T12:33:00.002-06:00

Chapel Today
Originally uploaded by Agape Boarding School

Today was a great chapel hour. It was two simple points from the story of David and Bathsheba.

#1-"If you don't like apples then don't plant apple trees"
-Often we sow bad seeds but do not like it when we have to live with the results of those bad seeds we have planted.

#2-"To rejoice is a choice"
-Everyone has struggles and hard times. Circumstances should not dictate your level of joy. You have to choose to be happy.

This message helped me as well and I hope it will be a blessing to you too.

Christmas 2010

2011-01-13T17:51:00.000-06:00

Sorry this is up late but here is the link to all the Christmas pictures. I hope you enjoy them. We had a great Christmas here and it was good to see all the families that were able to come. God bless.

Christmas Photos 2010

A Message from Maam to parents

2011-01-06T11:33:00.001-06:00

Dear Parents,

I just love this blog thing. When I have an urge to say something I can just write it and give it to Bro. Smith. Well...I have an urge.
Parents need to go to the handbook and reed the top line of page 9 (The minimum enrollment term for Agape Boarding School is 12 months) Your son is to stay for one year. I don't know what part of that some of you don't understand. Then go to page 10 and read the very last line (All parents must agree to leave their sons enrolled at Agape until all three of the above occur) Some parents do not ever ask, some ask but don't listen, and some of you do right. (You may want to read the whole bottom section of page 10)
Finally, go to page 23 and read the first paragraph. (Parents should never talk to their sons about when he will be leaving Agape Boarding School, or when the student will go if he is placed somewhere other than Agape Boarding School. This should only be discussed with the Agape administration.) You are ruining all of our work here when you break this rule. Your son comes to a complete halt in his work and behavior. We as staff know almost immediately when you have talked to him. How is it that you can be so manipulated by your son, (who is lying to you every breath) who was terrorizing you while at home and now he is some sort of angel and truth teller. I should let you talk to a couple of parents who brought their sons home for a Christmas visit.
Do you know that it takes years sometimes to change a life for the good. Why hurt your son by doing something that is against the rules.
Some parents are doing a great job. Thank you. I know it is not easy, but worth it in the end.

A message from Maam-New Uniform Shoes

2011-01-05T10:53:00.000-06:00

"New Uniform Shoe"

Dear Parents,

You are going to hear a lot about our new shoe program. You will be excited. This is going to save you a lot of money and us a lot of problems. We are taking one of their "gods" away from them. They seem to hold on to two things: their hair and their shoes. They can't trade their hair but they can trade their shoes. We had a boy trade his brand new shoes for a mechanical pencil that he liked. The rule here is no trading or borrowing. Just like everything else they don't obey the rules, even the simplest rule. We have some boys who never get a pair of new shoes and other boys who are getting $100.00 pair of shoes-that is ridiculous. We are taking care of this problem. Please do not send any tennis shoes. The ones that they already have will go in their storage space for when they graduate. Please support us in this change.

Campus Tour

2011-01-05T07:28:00.000-06:00

We have updated the campus tour to reflect all the new parts of the facility. SInce the last video we have built a new learning center, recreation center, 3 acre lake, amphitheater and boxing room. Thank you again for all who donated so generously so the boys can enjoy these things. Also, our new theatre room should be complete at the end of this month. You can watch the new tour on our new website at the following link:

www.agapeboardingschool.org

Website

2011-01-01T06:50:00.000-06:00

We have been reconstructing a new site for parents to keep up with everything at Agape. The site is complete and has been moved to the old address. Please access it from the old address from now on. We hope you enjoy the changes and we will continue to update the blog, facebook, photos, videos, and the news page. We also are working on a new tour DVD that will hopefully be done this week. Check back often because there will be updates throughout the week! The old address is:

www.agapeboardingschool.org

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T06:41:00.000-06:00

It is hard to believe that 2011 is here. It has been a great year at Agape. The Lord has blessed tremendously. I want to thank God for every parent that found Agape. Agape is such a special place. Most young men are not willing to admit that they have fun here. I understand that no one likes being away from home, but the boys do have many fun opportunities here. This time in their life is something that they will look back on in the future and have many memories to share with their family of how God taught them different things while being here.
Below is a list of all the changes that I can think of that took place this year. This would not have happened if it were not for all your kind donations and all the participation in the fundraisers.

In January the New Learning Center was completed. It can accommodate almost 200 students and it is a wonderful improvement on the campus
In June we completed the recreation room. God provided many fun things in there. We have several pool tables, ping pong tables, shuffleboard, air hockey, foosball, XBOX, and a hobby section.
In July we completed the outdoor amphitheater. This is great to use in the spring, summer, and fall.
In December we raised enough money to purchase a giant theater system for the TV room. This should be up in a couple of weeks

So as you can see, God has really blessed the ministry of Agape Boarding School this year. The biggest blessing was the 50+ boys that worked hard and graduated high school. Now they have an opportunity to succeed in life with a great education. Many of the young men also have made eternal decisions about their soul. We rejoice when young men decide to accept Christ. We also had several visiting parents that accepted Christ too. We are so glad that we serve such a wonderful God that daily loads us with so many blessings.

New Year's Eve

2010-12-31T15:55:00.000-06:00

Today is the last day of 2010. The boys have been out of school all week and this is the last day of the year. The students have enjoyed their time out of class. They have had opportunity to play basketball, gym time, volleyball, play in the recreation center, or play outside on the sports field. The weather has been great. It has been in the mid 5os this week. That is really odd for around here but we certainly will not complain. Below is a link of some of the activities. The newest game at Agape is the XBOX360 Kinect. This is a video game that does not use any controls. You play the game by moving in front of the screen. It can see you and you control the game through movements. The boys are enjoying it!

More pictures at the following link:
New Year's Eve Pictures

There will be more pictures later.

Christmas Day

2010-12-26T07:53:00.000-06:00

December 25

Christmas Day

This year's Christmas was a wonderful day. The students were able to enjoy many different activities. There were also many families that came to spend Christmas with their son! We had a packed dining hall. The day started out with a large breakfast buffet. There was every kind of breakfast food you could think of, thanks to Maam getting up early and making all this extra food for the boys and all the guest! At 10 AM,Santa showed up and helped pass out all the gifts to the boys. The boys enjoyed opening up all their gifts and getting new clothes, toys, etc. The big dinner feast began at 2 PM and lasted the rest of the day. The boys were dismissed to activities in the gym, rec center, and the TV room throughout the day. At 6 PM we had a chapel service where we were reminded what Christmas is all about and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. It was a very busy and eventful Christmas at Agape Boarding School. There will be more pictures up soon!

"Happy Birthday Jesus Fundraiser" Results as of December 25th

2010-12-26T07:44:00.002-06:00

"Happy Birthday Jesus" fundraiser

We are trying to purcase several new things for the boys to enjoy here at Agape Boarding School. You can see the items on our blog and you can also donate online. Please don't forget to send a personalized ornament to represent your donation and also your loved one here. We hope this fundraiser will bring in the money needed to purchase all 4 of these items!
So far we have collected enough to purchase the equipment for the new theatre room and exactly $2,000 of the $3,975 has come in for the arcade boxing machine! There are two other machines we are trying to raise money to purchase too. We hope you will help with these items by donating towards them. You can use the button below to donate.

All donations received by December 31 will be tax-deductible for the 2010 tax year

Happy Birthday Jesus Fundraiser update

2010-12-18T18:31:00.001-06:00

The "Happy Birthday Jesus" fundraiser has brought in almost enough money to purchase two items. We were raising money to purchase 4 items (a skeeball machine, arcade basketball shooting game, a boxing machine, and a theatre system for the TV room. So far we have raised the following

New theatre: Giant screen-16 feet wide(The letter we sent only announced a 12 foot screen so the quote has changed slightly., HD and 3-D, plus surround sound!)

Cost: $5,600

Amount Raised:$4,220

New games for Rec Center-these are commercial games and they average about $4,000 per machine(3) but come with lifetime warranty so they can be used for many years.

Amount Raised: $2,000

We would like to be able to announce on Christmas morning that we have raised enough to purchase these items. As soon as the money is in the items will be ordered. Please take a moment to consider a donation to our ministry before Christmas for these boys. God has blessed us with many opportunities for these young men to enjoy there time as much as they can while they are here. This has only come to pass by the generous donations of others in the past. You can donate online at our secure site. Below is the link. God bless and Merry Christmas.

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=W8YFVdk8GENcfbz4eGaQdvsjclVHenOquyLRSRi9Ghb69pG6q43l3CE9rp8&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d9384d85353843a619606282818e091d0

Agape Boarding School Boxing Ring

2010-12-18T18:22:00.000-06:00

The boxing room is finally done. Some students will start training soon for some boxing events within our local area. THey will have a real ring to practice in. Thank you to all who have donated towards this project. Without your donations, we would not have been able to do things like this. God bless.

2010 Thanksgiving Day at Agape Boarding School

2010-12-01T16:51:00.000-06:00

Here are a bunch of pictures from Thanksgiving Day at Agape Boarding School. Hope you find your son in them.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/agape_boarding_school/sets/72157625509682362/