Welcome to Lakeland Girls Home | Teen Challenge | Christian boarding schools for troubled girls
Director: Greg and Essie Del Valle
We welcome you to Teen Challenge, the Lakeland Girls Home, a Christian boarding school for troubled girls. Our hope is that you will find the comfort from the Holy Spirit in the knowledge that Jesus is the only answer for you, and your troubled daughter. Teen Challenge is the one of the oldest, largest, and most successful adolescent programs of its kind in the world. Established in 1958 by David Wilkerson, Teen Challenge has grown to more than 170 (adult and adolescent centers) centers in the United States and 250 centers world-wide. At Lakeland Girls Home (one of 24 Teen Challenge Adolescent Centers in the United States) we reach out to you, the parent in crisis, and we offer the only hope that will bring real peace, real reconciliation, and real restoration. Call upon us at Teen Challenge of Lakeland Girls Home to join you in sustained prayer and ministry to your family. To begin the process of restoration please feel free to call us at 888-467-3937.
Teen Challenge, The Lakeland Girls Home has served hundreds of troubled families over the last decade. Teen Challenge USA has been serving troubled teens since David Wilkerson served on the streets of New York City in the 1950's. Teen Challenge's experience working with troubled girls goes far beyond any and all programs and centers for troubled teens nationwide. When it comes to experience, quality, and longstanding ministry to troubled teens there is no comparison to Teen Challenge. At Lakeland Girls Home our first and foremost goal is to love our students in a way that brings them back to the knowledge of who they are in Jesus Christ. There are no mistakes, your daughter is in her "training ground", where she is going through the trials and tribulations. She is getting a very distasteful taste of the ways of the world and the flesh, and soon she will know for certain that there is redemption through Christ... Our hope is that now that she knows the emptiness of serving her flesh she will never give up the fruit of the Spirit of God. At Lakeland Girls Home we simply re-introduce our girls to the truth of who they are in Jesus (Know Themselves, Chooose Themselves, and Give Themselves).
Your crisis with your troubled teen brought you here today, but we believe that this is the beginning of your answered prayers. As you visit this page it is our prayer that the issues with your troubled daughter will soon be a thing of the past. In the place of turmoil and anguish will be grace and mercy. Our hope for you is total restoration, redemption, and all of this that you have endured will count for something grand and glorious, a living testimony of God's grace. We wish to provide coaching to you right now. We declare with you, in faith, that your daughter is about to start on a path to full renewal, full redemption, and complete restoration. Therefore, rejoice with us and know that God can, and will, use all things for His glory, including the rebellion of your troubled girl. Soon enough her heart will be touched, and the King of Kings will rein and rule upon her heart, and she shall return the precious child of God that you once knew.
Fear, doubt, powerlessness... these are emotions and feelings that you have probably had to deal with for quite some time now. Hurt, frustration, and even anger have been your constant companions. We are here to tell you that you are not alone, and these feelings and experiences are normal. They are not good, but they are normal. God is listening to your heart (prayers) and we coach you to stay the course. Regardless of how you feel, no matter what you might be experiencing... the emotions are normal but strive to stand on the promises of God. He has given you hope in His Word, in His provisions, and in His Son. Jesus is the only answer. Turn to Him with all your heart and continue to praise Him even for all of this trauma. Stand in faith despite your feelings.
We will agree with you that very few things are as painful and as helplessly as watching your daughter's potential slip away through her self destructive behavior. Again, if you are asking, "hat happened to our little girl? What can I do? Where can I go for help? What will finally make a difference in her life?" then you are in the same position as many parents today. This rebellion is an epidemic, and you are not alone. Many have gone before you, and they are ready to minister to you in a way that will bring the only relief that counts. Soon, you will be in a position to minister the grace and mercy of God to someone who is in your position right now. Therefore, if you have asked yourself any of these questions, then you are at the right place. Lakeland Girls Home of Teen Challenge is a place of HOPE.
At Teen Challenge Lakeland Girls Home our prayer is that you will see renewed and rejuvenated hearts in many places (beyond your daughter), and many will come to know the Lord through this ordeal. Your daughter will be restored, and she will be a catalyst that God will use to help dozens, if not hundereds, of other girls and their families. We hope that God will use this situation and bring about many renewed and restored hearts through your testimony. At Lakeland Girls Homes our focus is on restored families and restored relationships, and we see the victories each and every day. We believe that all things are possible through Christ. At Lakeland Girls Home we see radical changes every day; faces of depression and gloom change hope and pure joy in the Lord. We see the excitement in the spirits of our students as they realize the abundant life they before them. As their hope and destiny is restored we see their dreams return, and their joy overflowing as they can see the Holy Spirit pouring out the love of Jesus into their hearts. I
In the simpliest of terms, at Lakeland Girls Home of Teen Challenge we see our girl's self-esteem soar through the knowledge of who they are in Christ. At the same time we see self-destructive choices and poor personal habits fall away. We see a renewed, restored, and whole young lady ready to resume her life and rejoin her family, her future, and her destiny. Please join us in prayer today, and let us minister this powerful hope in Jesus Christ to you, and we only ask that you give all the glory and praise to God!
Lakeland Girls Home is a very special place for troubled girls who need Jesus. Best known as Lakeland Girls Home, a Teen Challenge Christian boarding school for troubled girls. Where Life Transformation Happens, and Jesus is the only answer! Teen Challenge Lakeland Girls Home serves troubled girls and their families, ages 12 to 17. Our earnest prayer is that you find this web page filled with hope, faith, and the love of Christ. Your daughter is a precious child of God, and no matter how she is acting out right now, Jesus has a great and mighty plan for her life and a destiny in the Kingdom of God.
As you view the web page it our prayer that that you find comfort and hope in the Holy Spirit alone. We hope that the Spirit of Grace and the Spirit of Truth will bring forth the knowledge of His plans and promises regarding your daughter. There is nothing that God does not know, and if He takes care of the sparrow and the grass in the field how much more will He care for your daughter. She is in her “flesh rebellion” but there is a transformation that has been birthed in Heaven. Know that God is in control and that He loves your daughter more than any love we will ever know. Jesus died for her sins and she is at the brink of a true restoration that can only come through a personal relationship with the King of Kings. Her life in the flesh is dissatisfying and she is learning all about the counterfeit of the enemy. Once she realizes that there is an enemy, and its not you (the parent), she will take off and grow into the delightful child of God that you will be proud and honored to know.
Pray that the circumstances that brought you here will soon be a thing of the past, and distant memory, and a living testimony of His great GRACE. We pray that you will have the strength to rejoice with us this day, and praise His name despite the circumstances. Stand in faith and keep bearing down in prayer (God is hearing and answering your prayers now and forever) and know that God can, and will, pierce your daughter's hardened heart and return her to Himself, thus becoming the precious child of God who will endure all things. She is His masterpiece, His daughter, and nothing will be held back.
We acknowledge that you must be hurting deeply right now, and unfortunately you are not alone. The rebellion that your daughter is caught up in is an epidemic. Way too many parents are in your same situation. The good news is that we have witnessed the ashes turn into beauty and the hurting family restored… over and over again. Your hurt, frustration, and fear are real… and totally normal. These are normal emotions and they need to be dealt with in a precise manner. It is the faith that goes beyond all imagination to stand firmly on His promises. Your hurt, frustration and pain will all turn into a grand and glorious living testimony.
At Teen Challenge Lakeland Girls Home we see plenty of renewed and rejuvenated hearts, restored families and reconciled relationships. You may not believe it looking at your daughter today, but in a few short months she can be back on track and well on her way to a prosperous and powerful future. At Lakeland Girls Home we get the faces of the young ladies change from depression to pure joy. We get to see the excitement in the spirits of our students as they realize the abundant life they have in Jesus Christ. We get to witness the day their good dreams return, and they actually believe that an awesome future can come true for them… despite what they have done. There is restoration in no other than Jesus. In our home, self-esteem and the knowledge of who they are in Christ comes to life, and their self-destructive habits become a thing of the past.
In HIS Service,
Gregory Del Valle
Executive Director
Lakeland Girls Home
General Overview
Teen Challenge Lakeland Girls Home is a fifteen (15) month, forty (40) bed residential Christ-centered discipleship program (Christian boarding school for troubled girls). At Lakeland Girl’s Home we are a member of the Florida Association of Christian Child Caring Agencies (FACCCA). We are very proud of this designation because it means something.
Our Christian boarding school program is a highly structured, built upon the skill development of discipline and accountability. Our Christian leadership program emphasizes a relationship with Jesus Christ, respect for self, and respect for others. One of the fundamental elements of the Lakeland Girls Home program is the development of the skill sets of responsibility and accountability, being responsible for our own choices and accountable to one another. Troubled teens are void of the skills of responsibility and accountability, and they operate on selfishness and self-centeredness, causing the “troubled behavior”. This is why it is so important that during the 15 month enrollment our student leaders develop a life long skill set that empowers them to be self-responsible (owning their choices) and lifting one another up above themselves (becoming other’s-centered). Our program is grounded in emotional intelligence development (know yourself, choose yourself, give yourself). Once these skills are developed its almost impossible to go back to the old self-defeating behaviors.
The student residences, kitchen/dining and school facilities, are in located in the 10,000 sq. ft. main center. At Lakeland Girls Home we have ample space for physical activities, an inter-campus athletic program, and a screened-in swimming pool. We employ fifteen (15) female highly skilled and professionally trained team members, each with the appropriate education and experience suited for their roles as mentors and life coaches. Three of our single ladies staff live on campus in the main residential building, so someone they are familiar with and close to are available on campus and present 24 hours per day 7 days per week.
Student life is comprised of four (4) areas of concentration: Spiritual growth and scripture knowledge, academic achievement, pastoral counseling and personal responsibility. Spiritual growth is the very essence of Teen Challenge Lakeland Girls Home. This growth is developed through individual and group studies, Chapel, and Church services. At Lakeland Girls Home we make the truth of the Bible experiential, real, and above all else, ALIVE! Our goal is to train up our student-leaders how to practically apply Biblical principles in their daily lives EVERYDAY.
Academics
Our school, The New Life Christian Academy, is a registered private school with The State of Florida Department of Education. We employee two (2) full-time teachers, as well as a Dean of Students that oversee’s and manages the academic program. All school life coaches hold Bachelors degrees in either Education or Counseling. We inspire our students to strive for academic achievement through grade repair and credit recovery. Many girls in our program not only aspire to be college students, but also qualify for Bright Futures Scholarships to help realize their dream to be “college bound” life long learners.
Counseling
Pastoral counseling is delivered through our trained pastoral counselors. We provide both one-on-one sessions as well as weekly small group sessions. Our head counselor has over 30 years of experience working with young ladies and her duties are dedicated exclusively to counseling. Counseling treatment planning is specifically tailored to meet the individuals and specific the needs of each girl.
Grad House
A unique aspect of our program is our Graduate House. Student leaders who successfully graduate from the Teen Challenge Lakeland Girls Home may reside in our Graduate House while completing high school. This option is a part of our successful aftercare program and is reserved for girls who are unable to return home where they may find an unfavorable high school environment. Our commitment to the life long changes of the girls at Lakeland Girls Home goes well beyond most organizations and schools for troubled teens!
Personal responsibility and respect for others is implemented through the Christian Character Qualities curriculum that is unique to Teen Challenge. Each student authentically masters these qualities through their enrollment with Lakeland. The beautiful thing is that these new qualities are real, alive, and longstanding. The girls start to develop a genuine concern and respect for others and it means something to them to be a value and support for the growth of her peers. Our students at Lakeland Girls Home become “life coaches”. When a young lady teaches the values of our program it becomes a part of her, and she becomes a new creation. Qualities like obedience, respect for those in authority, and Christ-like compassion are the core values of Lakeland Girls Home.
Call today for more information (888)-494-9077.
Gregory Del Valle - Executive Director
Being raised in ministry as a pastor's child, Gregory Del Valle knew the ins-and-outs of church life. However, the high demand to please the congregation and to set the example for other teens took its toll at one point. Outward appearance and behavior soon became the skin-deep qualities to master (spirit of performance) instead of a relationship with Christ. Greg states that under a spirit of performance it is impossible to live your life accountable to the living God. He knew the truth, but did not life the truth as a strong committed believer as he is today. After 4 years in the military, Greg was hired by the Broward Sheriff's Office as a Sheriff’s Deputy. God got a hold of Greg’s life, touched Greg with his calling, and the spirit of performance was a thing of the past. Greg knew deep inside that he and his wife, Esmeralda, had a calling to work with troubled youth. While serving in a church youth group of 350 with his retirement only 7 years away with the Sheriff's Office (with 3 teens still at home), God called Greg and Esmeralda to full time ministry. They sacrificed their careers, home, their own children’s' spiritual health and well being to follow and obey God's calling. God has truly found favor in His eyes for the Del Valle family; God continues to show His faithfulness in their lives.
"The call to minister in the lives God is chasing after…. to sacrifice our dreams…. to make an eternal difference in the lives that were lost without Jesus…. still astounds and humbles me every day!” Greg declares. “All we gave God has returned to us in a greater magnitude! Surely God had found favor in Lakeland Teen Challenge, and you can bet that God honors and equips those whom He calls."
Gregory Del Valle
Director Lakeland Girls Center
Donna Grasso - Certified Teacher, State of Florida
Donna has been teaching since 2002 and began working at Teen Challenge in 2004. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Education and a minor in Bible from Southeastern University, both of which equipped her to educate, mentor, and serve the young ladies at Teen Challenge. Donna became a Christian while reading a Gideon's Bible in a hotel room. Since then, her heart has been to help build God's Kingdom through teaching, preaching, and encouraging teens. When asked when she teaches at Teen Challenge, she says, "God uses Teen Challenge to soften hearts and transform lives. He reveals himself and His healing power so frequently that I leave the center awestruck almost daily! It's a privilege to participate in the plans He has for every girl here." Donna lives with her husband, their two dogs, and their three cats.
CHASSITY FRANEY - Dean of Students
Chassity is a 2003 Southeastern University graduate, with a Bachelor's Degree in Pastoral Ministry, and a Minor in Christian Counseling. She has been a teacher at Teen Challenge since January of 2005. Chassity's relationship with the Lord began at the age of seven, and when she was sixteen, God called her into full-time ministry. "As Christ helped me through my own struggles, I knew I wanted to minister to other ladies and share the comfort, peace, and joy that God had given me. Chassity says she is honored to have the privilege to teach and minister to the special ladies at Lakeland Teen Challenge Girls Home.
Kim Allen - Counselor
Kim has worked at the Lakeland Teen Challenge since August 2003. She counsels and shares the love of God to the young ladies in our program. She graduated from Southeastern University in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. When younger, Kim went through a few turbulent teenage years after her parents divorced. She was angry, rebellious and miserable. With much hesitation, she started going to church with her mom and soon realized that she needed a savior. After surrendering her heart to God and accepting Jesus Christ as her personal savior, she quickly starting moving forward and found healing in her own personal life. She personally understands the turmoil that each girl is going through. In the past, Kim and her husband have worked as youth leaders and now Kim’s husband is one of the staff pastors at their church. Kim resides in Bartow, Florida and is married to an amazing man and has two handsome little boys.
6754 South Carter Road
Lakeland, Florida 33813
In HIS Service,
Gregory Del Valle
Executive Director
Lakeland Teen Challenge
Adolescent Center (Female) - Induction/Training
6754 S. Carter Rd
Lakeland, Florida 33813
