For almost 20 years, The Learning House Foundation has been taking at-risk youth from the Chicagoland area to camp to participate in outdoor education activities that build teamwork, self-esteem, trust and leadership skills through activities such as archery, horseback riding and fishing. FLW Tour pro Mark Fisher and co-angler Johnny Douglas recently spent a week with 12 of these high school students and their teachers as they lived, played, did schoolwork and chores, ate meals and fished on Lake George in the Rhinelander area of Wisconsin.
“From an outsider’s perspective, I have a whole heck of a lot of respect for these young men and women who I spent this week with,” said Douglas. “These kids take it seriously (referring to their desire to improve their situation and set goals for improving their success in school.)"
Fisher, a member of The Learning House Foundation board of directors, said: “We are very grateful to Johnny Douglas for his willingness to share his time and knowledge to take our kids fishing over and over again during the week of camp. We would also like to thank the generosity of Jimmy Carmicle, who is the owner of Shoe Bootie Jigs, for allowing us the use of his bass boat for the entire week. And finally, we are very thankful for the donation of rods and reels and tackle gift bags that were given to each of the students by FLW Outdoors."
The Learning House Foundation is a non-profit organization affiliated with The Learning House, a private, therapeutic day school designed to serve special-education high school students struggling to succeed within their traditional high schools. For more information or to make a contribution, call (847) 459-8330 or visit www.TheLearningHouse.net.
