We are excited to announce that we are bringing back our martial arts program for our students at Cherokee Creek Boys School.

Martial arts classes teach discipline, focus, awareness, self-control and self-defense. The physical body improves in coordination, conditioning and stamina, while the mind improves in self-esteem and confidence.

Our martial arts classes strive to offer a fun and energetic, yet disciplined, environment where students learn cooperatively. We’ll focus on breathing, balance, awareness, and posture to develop efficient ways of moving. Martial principles are incorporated into games and martial techniques with students practicing in pairs or small groups taking turns being the attacker and defender.

Our Director of Operations, Phil Fairbrother, is organizing the martial arts program. He is excited to have an opportunity to share some his personal martial arts passion and experience with our students.

Cherokee Creek Students and Staff Help Local Kids

By way of saying “Happy Holidays”, I wanted to let you know what the students at Cherokee Creek did for our community here in South Carolina. We asked them a couple of weeks ago if they would like to play Secret Santa to three middle school aged kids in Oconee County. We had gotten word that a local charity was really hurting for donations this Christmas. We suggested to the students that if we were cautious with our weekend money, we could save a bit each weekend and the school would put that toward buying presents for three needy boys. The guys stepped up to the plate admirably. Instead of seeing the latest movie releases, we went and played kickball. Instead of going to a Clemson basketball game, we went to a local high school game. Instead of getting Gatorade after a hike, we made sure we all had our water bottles. And, lo and behold, a bit of frugalness turned into three shiny red bikes underneath our Charlie Brown Christmas tree. These, along some nice new clothes picked out by the boys, were delivered in time to make it into Santa’s sleigh. Much appreciations go out to the students and the weekend staff at Cherokee Creek. Thanks for finding a way to help three families in need and teach all the rest of us a Real and True message for this season of giving! Warm Holiday Wishes and Happy New Year to our extended family! Have fun with your boys!

Holiday Web Greetings (click here)

Dear friends and families… The spirits are bright at CCBS as we approach the holiday break and the boys return home for family festivities. The team and I want to wish you all the very best of the holiday season and blessings for the new year! Please enjoy our “home made” holiday video… With love and joy! Also please be sure to view and “like” our new video that was recorded during our last family seminar. We have some movie stars in the making! We hope you enjoy it as much as we have and share it with others in your life who may need to hear a message of hope.

CCBS: The Small School with the Big Heart

All my best to you and your kin, David

Therapists Jane Barker, Robin Hagy and Erin Maurer will begin a new round of focus groups tomorrow. These psychoeducational groups afford the boys an opportunity to gain information and skills that will be helpful in dealing with specific issues. Jane will focus on non-traditional family situations, Robin on family dynamics and Erin on boundaries and assertiveness. Focus groups generally run from 8 to 10 weeks and change to reflect particular needs or issues within the school’s population.

The boys check their haul in the seine net

Selecting samples for further examination

Last week’s great academic adventure – Pontoon Classroom! Teachers Butch Clay, Nick Linscott and James Holcomb took 25 students and examined the watershed health and quality of Lake Keowee. They collected insects and invertebrates and returned to their make-shift lab at High Falls County Park to make identifications and draw conclusions. Our current students were able to compare their findings to those of their predecessors – other CCBS students and alumni from the past two years of Pontoon Classroom participation.

Collecting critters in Fall Creek

Other scientific experiences included collecteing fish samples with a seine net as well as their fishing poles. Water clarity was determined by direct observation – swimming! All of the boats were captained by local community members  who volunteer their pontoon boats and time to ferry students of this Clemson University Extension program.