The Gem Starfish Scholarship provides families with the assistance needed so their daughter may attend Gem Academy.
What's Gem Academy?
Gem Academy is a solution based program for adolescent girls who struggle with obesity. It is the only long-term obesity treatment for teens in the country. The format is that of a boarding school with a curriculum inclusive of high-school general studies, nutrition and culinary, fitness, therapy, community service and experiential learning. This a functional definition but if asked to describe Gem the staff would say that,
"we strive to make Gem a sanctuary, incubator and haven for empowerment, growth and wisdom. We use the physical transformation as a metaphor and working example of our student's inherent skills, strengths and abilities that they use to create a greater purpose that permeates all aspects of their life and future. Where science and research drive our methodologies in the areas of physiology and achievement, our passion and commitment for helping the young women we serve achieve beyond their wildest dreams is the true driving force behind Gem."
The real drive and what makes it such a special program is that it works from a "how do we make sure that these kids are successful for the rest of their lives" standpoint. This is what gives Gem the unique advantage. Because of the founder's experience and nearly 11 year continuing relationships with kids who have been through this process it gives him a different insight into what the things are that affected their success and very few of them were about food or exercise. They may have manifested as eating what they shouldn't or doing less than they should but their reasons for engaging in those behaviors were something completely different. Gem is about preparing their students for those challenges by empowering them with character driven philosophies and experiences.
The program isn't as much about weight as it is self-awareness and modifying behaviors while dealing with the underlying issues that either led to or are are resulting from the weight.
“When you help someone tap into a level of strength and resolve that they didn’t know they had, you unleash the strongest force in the human condition…. Hope. That hope coupled with iron clad, physical proof of what they are capable of from a strength of will perspective transforms that person into an agent of change.
When that agency is nurtured in a person who, through their personal experiences, has developed a level understanding, compassion, acceptance and empathy that we could only hope for in the best of us, then we are in the presence of greatness.”
For More information on Gem Academy please visit the website: gemacademyaz.com