Tyler Paper Excerpt

The following is an excerpt taken from an article written by a local paper that is headquartered close to the campus of Teen Mania Ministries. We provide this excerpt as an example of what a secular media source cited through their investigation into this event. It should be noted that Teen Mania is, in no way, communicating that we share the values of this media source, but only that this is a reference we feel may bring additional perspective on the evolution of this event. We have also added emphasis to highlight specific content.

Chris Lindsay was apprehensive entering Teen Mania’s Honor Academy boot-camp program in Garden Valley in 2010.

“I had heard the stories even before I went to the Honor Academy,” he said of the program staged on property near Lindale.

Patterned after military boot camps, the four-day event — Emotionally Stretching Opportunity of a Lifetime, or ESOAL — is geared to bring participants to a breaking point through physical exercise, so theoretically they can learn to trust God and control their actions during extreme stress.

Lindsay, a student at Cornell University in Pittsburgh, Pa., called it “the greatest memory” of his time at the organization.

“It was one of the hardest things I did in my life,” said Lindsay, who was 19 at the time. “Every day there’s an application for the things I learned.”

Not every participant’s experience was positive. Some say they were physically pushed too far, that leaders were too confrontational and that injuries were too common.

One alumnus started a website critical of Honor Academy. Although she did not go through ESOAL, she claims her Honor Academy experience caused her to question her Christianity and become depressed. One couple likened Honor Academy to a cult.

CHANGES MADE
After the criticism and concerns, Teen Mania formed a committee of medical professionals, a social worker and a local youth minister to examine ESOAL. The committee recommended medical training for staff members who oversee the event, keeping a medical professional on site and giving participants a physical exam before taking part in the physically demanding experience.

“We listen to our alumni,” said David Hasz, executive director of the Honor Academy. “We’ve learned from others. That’s the reason we changed from ESOAL. We’re thankful for their feedback. We were able to make the event better.”

The revamped event is called “Physical, Emotional and Relational Learning,” or PEARL.

“Comparing ESOAL to PEARL would be like comparing baseball to cricket,” Hasz said. “They both use bats and balls, but they’re different games.”

With both PEARL and its predecessor, young interns are expected to work as group and under the eye of “coaches” to complete a series of grueling physical and mental exercises while receiving very little sleep. Activities include carrying logs, pushups and running. Mental exercises require keeping track of detailed instructions and math to complete an activity.

When an exhausted or over-stressed intern snaps or wants to quit, a coach intervenes.

“PEARL is an opportunity for interns to practice real emotions,” Hasz said. “It’s a role-playing game. It’s not like a video game where your character is getting tired.”

Critics say interns were pushed too far in ESOAL.

Hasz said that some leaders adapted too much of a drill sergeant style in ESOAL.

“In the past, we had some people who maybe watched ‘Major Payne’ too much,’” Hasz said, referring to a movie.

Hazs said leaders no longer use military titles but are referred to as coach, and the interaction is more life coaching than yelling.

Many Teen Mania interns and staff who participated in ESOAL and now PEARL like the changes.

“ESOAL was more structured in a pushing state, the same as PEARL, but PEARL is more structured to sharpen the mind and engage the heart,” said Jonathan Parrilla, Honor Academy dorm director who participated in ESOAL and served as a PEARL facilitator.

“PEARL has the same structure, but there’s more relationship, more counseling,” he said. “It’s about controlling your emotions, being strong in adversity and knowing that you’re not alone, that there’s the Lord and others to build you up when times are hard.”

Interns now also get more sleep. In PEARL, interns get at least four hours of uninterrupted sleep, which wasn’t the case with ESOAL, Hasz said.

Another change involves an intern’s ability to opt out of the experience.

In the past, interns started and then, if they felt it was too much to bear, rang a bell signaling that they were quitting, a practice called ringing out. Critics say leaders made those who rang out feel guilty or as if they had failed.

Now to participate, interns voluntarily sign up for PEARL. Interns are not required to participate to complete Honor Academy.

However, the practice of ringing out continues.

“In the past, we didn’t handle (someone ringing out) well,” Hasz said. “Now we cheer.”

There are two reasons for people to ring out, Hasz said — either for a medical injury or they give up.

“If you’re limping, you need to make a wise choice,” he said.

Of 272 participants —interns, and staff and parents of interns — who voluntarily took part in the most recent PEARL, 103 rang out, Hasz said. All were evaluated, as required, at an on-site clinic; 42 visited the clinic with potentially more serious issues, such as feeling faint, sprained ankles or knees, or potential breathing issues.