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"Andrea's Story"
Andrea - When Ten-Year old Andrea came to Tennyson Center for Children, the Treasures she brought with her were
few. In her Backpack she carried a Stuffed Animal she loved, a School Paper with a High Grade, and a few cherished other Posessions.
This Sweet Girl had virtually no Family. Her Stepfather, who had Molested Andrea repeatedly, was now in Prison. Her Mother
struggled to be the kind of Parent she always wanted to be and was even Homeless at times.
Andrea had been Sexually Abused by her Stepfather since the Age of Seven. She took her Pain and Anger out on
others with frequent Verbal Threats and Actual Physical Assaults especially on her Younger Siblings. She hoarded and stole
food. At her lowest and most desperate point, she became Suicidal.
Finally, the Local County Department of Human Services took Andrea and her Siblings out of their Home and Andrea
was selected to come to Tennyson Center. She was placed in Individual and Group Counseling. Meanwhile, her Mother was undergoing
Therapy in the hopes that one day, the Children and their Mother could reunite as a Family.
Our Treatment Counselors and Therapists worked with Andrea day in and day out -in the Classroom, in the Lunchroom,
in the Cottage where she lived on Campus, and during Playtime.
They worked on Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, Empathy, Trust and Acceptance.
Andrea struggled at first. She was hostile with everyone. She was never without a huge Cloth-covered Bag hanging
over her Shoulder, looking like someone who was carrying the Weight of the World with them...and in a way, she was. In the
Bag, she kept those things that represented the few moments of Comfort, Happiness and Safety in her Young Life. In addition
to the Stuffed Animal and School Paper, the Bag contained a Photograph of her Brothers and her Sister, a Baby Doll with Blankets
and a Bottle, a few items of Clothing for herself, a mysterious Key to some unknown door and always some leftover piece of
Food from a previous meal.
Andrea had many Issues to work on, the biggest being her Fear and Inability to trust that her own Mother would
keep her Physically and Emotionally safe. Fearing that she had to protect herself, she became hateful because, that way, no
one would ever bother her...no one would ever get close to her. She would be in control and have all the Power, just like
her Stepfather once did.
It took more than a Year of Intensive Therapy, Counseling and Treatment to get Andrea to begin trusting others
again. Her Mother responded well to Parenting Training, Family Therapy and Counseling and found a new Job and an Apartment
in a safe neighborhood. It was soon time for Andrea and her Family to be reunited, although she still attended School in Tennyson
Center's Day Treatment Program.
Andrea was a bit confused by the change in her Mother. She was guarded, and, for a time, unaccepting of her Mother's
Love. Andrea made progress, though, through her Daytime Counseling Sessions. After several Months of Individual and Family
Therapy her Teacher noticed a change in Andrea and told her how nice it was to see her smiling so often. With Hope in her
Eyes, Andrea told her Teacher, "I'm so proud of my Mother. She worked just as hard as I did so we could become a Family again...I
know she Loves me."
| EVE, 9 YEARS OLD |
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"Eve's Story"
When Eve entered the Residential Treatment Program at Tennyson Center at the Age of Nine, her Pain was obvious.
She was overwhelmed by the Memories of Abuse. Sexually Abused by her Father and Abondoned by her Mother, Eve Suffered from
Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Her Childhood had been brutally taken away from her.
When she first arrived at Tennyson Center, Eve often heard things that weren't there; she would suddenly retreat
from her group, afraid and confused. Because of the Abuse she had endured, she had no idea how to be a Child.
Up to this point, she had raised her Two Younger Sisters, protecting them from the Rage and Anger of her Parents...that
is, when her Parents were around. Once Child Protective Services entered the Picture and removed the Children from the Home,
Eve agonized about the safety of her Siblings.
The First Weeks at Tennyson Center were tough for Eve. Even her interractions with other Children were Strangely
Adult and Sadly Sexual.
She had learned all these behaviors from her Father. Our Challenge was to teach her how to be a Nine-Year old
again and, with this much Pain embedded deep into her Soul, we knew this would NOT be an easy Journey.
But, as with all of the Children we Serve, we tirelessly worked with Eve one day at a time.
Through Effective Counseling, Therapy and Treatment, we taught her how to trust again, we taught her how to come
to grips with the Pain that used to rule her Life and how to let go of that Pain so that she can have a sense of Real Hope
for the Future. And it WAS a Long Journey...but worth every single minute of it.
Just a few Months ago, Eve left Tennyson Center for Children to live with her new Foster Family, two remarkable
people who are committed to Loving and Caring for Eve throughout the rest of her Childhood. She now has her Childhood back
and a new Family to help her continue on the Road to Recovery.
| JOSH, 11 YEARS OLD |
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"Josh's Story"
Eleven-Year old Josh came into the Tennyson Center Residential Treatment Program as a Frustrated, Hurt and Angry
Boy. In class, his Anger would quickly escalate and become uncontrollable. He would Throw Papers, Swear, Scream and Disrupt
the Class any way possible.
Josh's Anger was so violent that he would often need to be Physically restrained to prevent him from hurting
himself or the other Children.
Prior to coming to Tennyson Center for Children, his unpredictable behavior was blamed on the Emotional Turmoil
that had filled his Young Life. You see, Josh had experienced Severe Neglect by his Parents before being Abandoned by both
his Mother AND his Father.
At Tennyson Center for Children, Josh began to place his trust in a Teacher...one who was not only determined
to help him deal with his Pain and Anger, but one in whom Josh found a Friend. Her Name was Karen and, through a development
of Mutual Trust and Understanding, she began to realize just how deep the Emotional scars were inside Josh. But there was
more. Soon after arriving at Tennyson Center, it became evident that Josh was unable to Read or Write.
Every day this Little Boy lived with the Pain of knowing that his Parents just cast him aside...and a Firm Belief
that he was not Loved.
Additionally, Josh was convinced that he was "stupid", after the himuliation of being teased by Students at the
Public School he attended for not being able to Read or Write. His Self-Esteem was dangerously low. Eventually, he had stopped
caring altogether and lost the motivation to even try.
Karen and the rest of the team helping Josh finally knew where to begin to help get Josh back on track. Within
a matter of Months, Josh was Reading along with other Kids his Age and was quickly Learning how to Write as well. He began
to shake the feeling that he was "stupid," and that something was wrong with his Brain. For the first time in his Life, he
felt Loved. And, through all of this, his Self-Esteem began to re-develop.
Today, Josh has the Courage to Read in front of Large Audiences; he loved to Write...and his favorite thing to
Write is Poetry. He learned to Read and Write because of the Determination and Care of our Dedicated Staff. Most importantly,
though, instilled in Josh was something he'd never experienced before...an almost insatiable desire to Learn.
Learning to Read has broken down the Communication Barrier that made Josh feel so isolated and alone. Now Josh
knows the importance of Communication...of sharing his feelings with others, of releasing his Anger and Pain through his Poetry.
He's a completely different Boy from the Lost Child who first came to Tennyson Center.
Recently, as Josh left Tennyson Center to live with his Grandparents, one of the Staff asked him if he was sad
to be leaving the Home and Friends he had known for over a Year. He smiled and replied, "A little. But that's OK, cuz ya know
what? I'm gonna be just fine!"
Below are Photos of some of the Children at Tennyson Center for Children:
| THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATION!!!! |
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"DONATE"
SAFE AND SECURE
The Number of Kids who so desperately need our Services increases every day. And our ability to provide those
Children with the Care which will help them heal is largely dependent upon the Financial Resources available.
Government Funding for the Kinds of Services we offer has declined in recent Years so we must rely even more
on the Generosity, Philanthropy and Caring Hearts of People just like You.
Without Adequate Funding, the Children are the Ones you will ultimately Suffer. Without your Support, they are
at Risk of not getting the kind of Help we offer which will ensure that they can one day Live Satisfying and Fulfilling Lives
as Adults.
We accept the following Credit Cards: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and Diner's Club. You can
make a Contribution of $5 or greater and no matter how much you choose to Donate, your Generosity will go further than you
might ever imagine.
If you would prefer to make a Contribution by Personal Check, Please send your Contribution to:
Tennyson Center for Children
General Contributions - web giving
2950 Tennyson St.
Denver, CO 80212
| CHILDREN AT TENNYSON CENTER |
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| FOR CHILDREN |
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