Interview for ex-WWASPS Students
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A 25 question interview of ex-students who attended WWASPS schools. Answers to each question can be found on the page links below.
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Question 25. How do you think your family/parents could have helped you instead of sending you to a program? Please be specific and name any alternative options you think would have helped you and your family.
"Well, my parents, at the time, thought they were saving me and helping me. They were scammed and misled by much misinformation. In retrospect, I wish they would have looked into any different type of alternative methods. I'm really not sure what was available at the time. Possibly a boarding school within the United States that wasn't owned by for-profit companies like WWASPS. Possibly family therapy. Possibly even giving me up for adoption would probably have benefited me more than being traumatized the way I was in the program. Who knows. I wasn't the one doing the research." - C.A., Casa by the Sea
"Family therapy, being more understanding on my religious beliefs, me being more understanding of theirs, we had a huge lack of communication. I KNOW if my parents knew what the program really was, they would of NEVER sent me there. The fact they were lied to is just sad and immoral to me. I know a lot of the staff is LDS, and so is my family. a TRUE Christian would NEVER condone, support, or help this atrocity. To anyone that reads this, my family, friends, parents ect. Casa has affected my life to this day. Not a moment goes bye where i think of the program, and getting flashback of things i have seen. Some of my sisters and my Brother do not know A LOT of what i have written above, and to be honest i am nervous, but know this is the right thing for me to do. This was my experience, and i will be writing an autobiography about my whole feelings on the WWASP and Casa By the Sea. Thank you for your time, i hope this will help other families find other options than these programs. This is a 90 billion dollar industry that the WWASP is making off of young children. In my opinion, i hope the US government will step in and take action quick, before more families are torn apart and regret losing their child. Most of these word were written in tears, i just pray justice will prevail for these underage children." - J.C., Casa by the Sea
"I think my parents could have sent me to a therapist or just taken some time out of there busy lives to listen to my issues. I think I felt alone in my home with two parents that worked all the time and didn’t have much time for anything else. I searched for the love and attention elsewhere and unfortunately the people that opened their arms were not the best choice." - A.E., Casa by the Sea
"Maybe sending me to a therapist and getting help themselves. I just needed family support and some extra help to adjust. The program was totally excessive." - L.W., Cross Creek Manor
"I think my parents didn't try much before sending me away. It was first resort for them. I think they could have communicated with me better, or called in a mediator perhaps, sent me to a good therapist, etc." - B.B., Ivy Ridge & Tranquility Bay
"Acknowledged the abuse that was occurring the home (as my dad is finally starting to now) and address that before blaming the children. True family therapy. Allowing me more structure, and independence. Allowing me time to mature in a healthy environment and grow as a person." - C.M., Tranquility Bay
"There are thousands. Sent me to a accredited school, a boot camp, outward bound. Just to name a few that seem better than WWASPS. Best option would have been to live with my uncle which I was when the escorts picked me up. BTW my Dad doesn't talk to my uncle." - Anon, Casa by the Sea
"I never had a family who cared even when my friend got out of Casa, Chris Goodell, told my family about the abusive crap we put up with they just sent me to New York where Jason Finlinson ran the school (he also ran Mexico)." - D.G., Casa by the Sea & Ivy Ridge
"I don’t know how to answer that I know my mother did what she felt was best. It was only my mother I didn’t get along with I wanna say we had a communication problem but I don’t know if I would have been willing to communicate if my mother had tried. But on the other hand I behaved for every one else I just don’t know how to answer this question… I know my answers to your questions really downplay how horrible this place was that is not my intention. I just don’t have a lot of memories of this place I know that I hated it I know that the actions of what went on there was wrong I just don’t remember a lot anymore and I am ok with not remembering it all so vividly as I used to. I do remember the place was not sanitary and that the adults like to abuse their power. You had to betray your best friend if you ever wanted to advance. You had to trust the family you were in and at the same time you had to watch your back because you never knew who would be putting a knife in it. I know I was one of the ones that stabbed the knife a time or two but it was expected if you ever wanted to go anywhere." - C.L., Casa by the Sea
"Sometimes I think yes. I think that if my parents would have tried to be more firm with me or sent me to a relative like some people i knew that would instill respect, and all that was lacking." - N.R., Casa by the Sea
"My parents were doing everything they could to help me. I was a selfish, single minded teenager who thought he knew everything. I was planning on going into the military when I was 18. Took the ASVAB and all. Had a recruiter and would of gone in. That would of set me straight. I was doing that for exactly that reason. But my parents did their best." - G.A., Casa by the Sea
"They could have done anything. My parents never communicated with me at all. I didn’t even know that they thought I was that bad of a kid. At the time, they didn’t even know half the inappropriate activities I was involved in. All they knew was that I was smoking weed, cigarettes, drinking, and hanging out with girls. That’s all they knew and sent me there. I was involved with other thing that were dangerous, but most of friends changed there ways. Some didn’t but most did." - J.K., Casa by the Sea
"Drug rehabilitation, positive reinforcement, therapy for themselves." - Anon, Casa by the Sea
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Question 25. How do you think your family/parents could have helped you instead of sending you to a program? Please be specific and name any alternative options you think would have helped you and your family.
"Well, my parents, at the time, thought they were saving me and helping me. They were scammed and misled by much misinformation. In retrospect, I wish they would have looked into any different type of alternative methods. I'm really not sure what was available at the time. Possibly a boarding school within the United States that wasn't owned by for-profit companies like WWASPS. Possibly family therapy. Possibly even giving me up for adoption would probably have benefited me more than being traumatized the way I was in the program. Who knows. I wasn't the one doing the research." - C.A., Casa by the Sea
"Family therapy, being more understanding on my religious beliefs, me being more understanding of theirs, we had a huge lack of communication. I KNOW if my parents knew what the program really was, they would of NEVER sent me there. The fact they were lied to is just sad and immoral to me. I know a lot of the staff is LDS, and so is my family. a TRUE Christian would NEVER condone, support, or help this atrocity. To anyone that reads this, my family, friends, parents ect. Casa has affected my life to this day. Not a moment goes bye where i think of the program, and getting flashback of things i have seen. Some of my sisters and my Brother do not know A LOT of what i have written above, and to be honest i am nervous, but know this is the right thing for me to do. This was my experience, and i will be writing an autobiography about my whole feelings on the WWASP and Casa By the Sea. Thank you for your time, i hope this will help other families find other options than these programs. This is a 90 billion dollar industry that the WWASP is making off of young children. In my opinion, i hope the US government will step in and take action quick, before more families are torn apart and regret losing their child. Most of these word were written in tears, i just pray justice will prevail for these underage children." - J.C., Casa by the Sea
"I think my parents could have sent me to a therapist or just taken some time out of there busy lives to listen to my issues. I think I felt alone in my home with two parents that worked all the time and didn’t have much time for anything else. I searched for the love and attention elsewhere and unfortunately the people that opened their arms were not the best choice." - A.E., Casa by the Sea
"Maybe sending me to a therapist and getting help themselves. I just needed family support and some extra help to adjust. The program was totally excessive." - L.W., Cross Creek Manor
"I think my parents didn't try much before sending me away. It was first resort for them. I think they could have communicated with me better, or called in a mediator perhaps, sent me to a good therapist, etc." - B.B., Ivy Ridge & Tranquility Bay
"Acknowledged the abuse that was occurring the home (as my dad is finally starting to now) and address that before blaming the children. True family therapy. Allowing me more structure, and independence. Allowing me time to mature in a healthy environment and grow as a person." - C.M., Tranquility Bay
"There are thousands. Sent me to a accredited school, a boot camp, outward bound. Just to name a few that seem better than WWASPS. Best option would have been to live with my uncle which I was when the escorts picked me up. BTW my Dad doesn't talk to my uncle." - Anon, Casa by the Sea
"I never had a family who cared even when my friend got out of Casa, Chris Goodell, told my family about the abusive crap we put up with they just sent me to New York where Jason Finlinson ran the school (he also ran Mexico)." - D.G., Casa by the Sea & Ivy Ridge
"I don’t know how to answer that I know my mother did what she felt was best. It was only my mother I didn’t get along with I wanna say we had a communication problem but I don’t know if I would have been willing to communicate if my mother had tried. But on the other hand I behaved for every one else I just don’t know how to answer this question… I know my answers to your questions really downplay how horrible this place was that is not my intention. I just don’t have a lot of memories of this place I know that I hated it I know that the actions of what went on there was wrong I just don’t remember a lot anymore and I am ok with not remembering it all so vividly as I used to. I do remember the place was not sanitary and that the adults like to abuse their power. You had to betray your best friend if you ever wanted to advance. You had to trust the family you were in and at the same time you had to watch your back because you never knew who would be putting a knife in it. I know I was one of the ones that stabbed the knife a time or two but it was expected if you ever wanted to go anywhere." - C.L., Casa by the Sea
"Sometimes I think yes. I think that if my parents would have tried to be more firm with me or sent me to a relative like some people i knew that would instill respect, and all that was lacking." - N.R., Casa by the Sea
"My parents were doing everything they could to help me. I was a selfish, single minded teenager who thought he knew everything. I was planning on going into the military when I was 18. Took the ASVAB and all. Had a recruiter and would of gone in. That would of set me straight. I was doing that for exactly that reason. But my parents did their best." - G.A., Casa by the Sea
"They could have done anything. My parents never communicated with me at all. I didn’t even know that they thought I was that bad of a kid. At the time, they didn’t even know half the inappropriate activities I was involved in. All they knew was that I was smoking weed, cigarettes, drinking, and hanging out with girls. That’s all they knew and sent me there. I was involved with other thing that were dangerous, but most of friends changed there ways. Some didn’t but most did." - J.K., Casa by the Sea
"Drug rehabilitation, positive reinforcement, therapy for themselves." - Anon, Casa by the Sea
