Program Goals:

• To educate and serve young men in grades 6 through 8 who have the potential for college preparatory work, but whose progress may be impeded by economic and/or social circumstances.
• To provide an academically challenging program and highly structured, yet familial, environment to equip each student with the tools necessary to succeed in college preparatory high schools and beyond.
• To support each student academically, emotionally, physically and spiritually that they might develop into “Men for Others” and achieve fulfillment of their human potential.
• To inspire students to lives of service and leadership through the use of their God-given talents in the Ignatian tradition.

Trauma Informed School

Loyola Academy is a “Trauma-Informed” school. Based on the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, conducted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente, it is suggested that certain childhood experiences are predictive of future health problems and poor adult quality of life. Among these experiences are: victimization by abuse or neglect, family mental illness or incarceration, exposure to domestic violence or substance abuse, and abandonment by a parent.

Given the knowledge of our students and their families, we estimate that 90% of our population has encountered three or more ACEs. Results of the study further indicate that every ACE increases the likelihood that a child will have poorer health and well-being outcomes as an adult. At Loyola Academy, we know our students well and understand the current and future implications of the ACEs they encounter. Programming is, therefore, intentionally structured as a series of interventions aimed at reducing the potential impact of ACEs.