Brat Camp, Episode 1: Terrible Teenagers and Desperate Parents

They were once children, just like any other. Their parents had hopes and dreams for them. But somewhere, somehow, things went wrong. Now they are out of control - using drugs, stealing money, engaging in violent behavior, and being promiscuous. Their parents are desperate to help them lead normal and productive lives and have made the decision to send their children to SageWalk, a therapeutic wilderness camp in the high desert of central Oregan. It will be their home for at least 40 days. The environment is harsh, the rules are strict, and a crack team of councilors will work on them to transform them - before it’s too late. Will the kids learn respect and discipline? Can their lives be saved? What will happen at Brat Camp?

SageWalk wilderness camp is in a desolate part of central Oregon, over 60 miles from the nearest town, and the temperature in winter can fall between 40 to below 0 (Fahrenheit). It’s November 14th - day one for nine new youths. The field operation manager is Tony Randazzo, who goes by the Earth name of Glacier Mountain Wolf (henceforth known as Glacier). Participants in the camp can earn Earth names if they do well. Glacier’s parents sent him when he was 18; he was a bad kid who ran with the wrong crowd, used drugs, etc. He sees a bit of himself in every kid.

The first youth is Shawn, 17 years old, who steals from his mother and uses drugs. Shawn admits to having used pot, coke, speed, and mushrooms, and his parents had to buy a safe to lock up their wallets and purses to prevent him from stealing money. Shawn was adopted at birth, and his parents feel that he has some abandonment issues. They’ve tried therapists, different schools, punishments, and nothing has worked. They are afraid they are going to lose their son. When Shawn meets Glacier and is asked why he’s there, Shawn asserts that his parents are crazy.

The next youth is Lexie, aged 17, labeled a hostile outcast. She was a bright girl with a lot of potential, but her grades have plummeted. She stays out until 3:00 in the morning, and after one disappearance, the police asked for her dental records, which was sobering to her parents.

Glacier tells us that the youths are stripped away from everything they know. They will have to fend for themselves, hike over 100 miles, learn to make fire, and scale cliffs. Lexie, upon learning what she’s getting into, calls it a Nazi concentration camp, and says her parents might leave her there forever. She cries and wants to know when she is going home.

The third camper is Derek, aged 14, who admits to being hyper. He has ADHD, and about two years ago he stopped taking medication. He went from As to Fs, has no regard for rules, and a total lack of respect for his parents.

Upon arriving at SageWalk, Glacier tells him and the others to get their jackets and other stuff. Lexie cries, protests the identical clothing for everybody, and accuses them of turning them into clones. She complains they are brainwashing them.

Heather, aged 16, arrives hungover - she went on a drinking binge the previous night. She has no idea what is going on. Heather has run away, smokes, pops pills, and is running with a bad crowd. Heather knows only a bit about her biological mom, though she does know she overdosed on drugs. Her parents fear Heather will suffer her mother’s fate.

Glacier tells us that she isn’t herself, has hickies all over her, and is exhausted. He doesn’t have a good read on her. Lexie climes in and says she doesn’t need to be there. She tries to leave, but the staff won’t let her. She starts crying again, and wants to know what she did to deserve this treatment. Glacier explains her parents are concerned about her. She threatens to be just as much of hard ass as they can.

Glacier informs us that freak outs like Lexie’s are common, and the staff is willing to wait it out as long as it takes.

Frank is the next youth to arrive. He’s 16 and has a violent temper. His mother, Nancy admits she hasn’t been the best mother. She was a single parent, and she found it hard to parent him correctly. She couldn’t handle it. At age 12, Frank got involved with alcohol and drugs, and is now out of control, getting into fights. She’s afraid of him and is at her wit’s end. When he shows up, his possessions are taken away. He wants them back, but head field instructor, Earth name Stalking Cougar (henceforth known as Cougar), tells him he won’t get them back until he’s completed the course.

Cougar passes out paperwork, which includes camp rules. Among other things, they can’t leave camp, must keep their belongings neat and orderly, can’t use foul language, or go near staff equipment. Lexie doesn’t want to look it at yet. Glacier says they don’t yell, but simply wait out the kids. After two hours, Lexie breaks down and does the paperwork.

Nick, aged 14, is next to arrive at SageWalk. He doesn’t like authority, is disrespectful, calls his mother a “bitch” and wants to be better than his twin, Alex. However, Nick is dyslexic and has a hard time with things. Nick has gone on rampages and tried to stab his twin through a bathroom door. His mother wants him to resolve his issues before it’s too late. When he arrives, he hugs his mother, then pushes her away. She’s hurt and breaks down in tears at the treatment.

Lauren, age 17, is a self-destructive drug user. Her mother tells us she started using pot at age 13. Lauren admits to ditching school, smoking pot, and hanging out with lowlifes. She’s shoplifted and got a DUI. Her parents hospitalized her after finding out she was researching suicide methods. Lauren’s father died when she was 11, and it changed her. Lauren tells us she wishes her father were still alive and her mother was dead. She had no idea she was going to SageWalk. Cougar searches her bag, and finds drugs. He takes her out to a porta potty, and makes her watch him dispose of them.