It’s Saturday morning at The Wediko School in New Hampshire, and Joshua Stanton and Brendon Meyette have risen early. It’s maple sugaring season, and they are eager to boil the sap they’ve collected from more than a dozen maple trees around the wooded campus. Since arriving at The Wediko School one year ago, Josh has taken his passion for maple sugaring to new heights. With the support of school staff, he’s created Stanton’s Syrup Shack, a small business and 20-tap producer that has become a hands-on learning experience for him and his peers. As students at The Home’s residential treatment school, Josh and Brendon have seen their share of struggles, but standing by the tank, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface, some of that pain dissipates into the steamy, scented air. The two good friends will work outdoors until 6pm with the goal of making a gallon of pure amber syrup by day’s end. Here, life is sweet: they’ll laugh, talk and enlist other kids to get involved, savoring the rewards of a yearlong effort and the slower pace of the boil.
MAKING HIS PITCH
Josh got into maple sugaring at his previous program, where he learned about the process from a mentor and received a scholarship to launch his own project. When he came to Wediko, he advocated to continue his work and made a persuasive pitch to the administration. He’d budget and do the research, handpick trees on campus, discover more about the art and science of tapping and teach other students how to make maple syrup. The staff said “yes.” Josh was thrilled that they were willing to listen, learn and allow him to share his interest with others. Earning the Director’s approval meant that Josh and other students would build confidence and life skills while making maple syrup, create positive childhood memories and deepen their connections with peers and staff, which is foundational to Wediko’s philosophy. Maple sugaring became an anticipated activity for students who don’t go home on weekends. During the week, you might see students in a group therapy session collecting sap with their clinician.
PLEASURE IN THE PROCESS
“It’s really neat to share my passion with kids like Brendon and get others interested. I think it’s important they have an opportunity to learn. Most people don’t realize how hard it is to make maple syrup. It’s a process. The last boil, it took seven hours to make three pints, but it was so worth it!” gushes Josh. Brendon is quick to agree, and adds that he is grateful to Josh, who has helped him through a lot. “This is honestly one of the best things I’ve done,” shares Brendon, reflecting. “It has kept me from causing trouble. Ever since I started doing this, I’ve been able to keep myself under control. It brings me back to when I was younger and always outside with my friends.” The students’ success with maple sugaring flows into school, their treatment and into forming genuine connections. “Our students have a lot of challenges they’ve experienced prior to coming to Wediko,” explains Director Toby Iselin, M. Ed. “Finding those areas of success to build from is critically important. Students are setting and achieving short- and long-term goals. This goes beyond maple sugaring; it’s helping them to be successful in all parts of their lives.”
