During her childhood, Elaine Putvin had the chance to visit Highfields’ Onondaga campus with her family. As annual supporters, her parents Dave and Irene Johnson believed in the vision Highfields strived to build within communities. “My parents were always very service-oriented people, helping others wherever they could,” said Elaine. After graduating high school, Elaine moved
Read MoreHighfields’ Reaching Higher After-School Program has been given the challenge of the year as teachers and students continue to adjust to online learning. Last month, teachers from Attwood Elementary went above and beyond in their dedication to helping students in creative ways by hosting a virtual sleepover! “I’m so happy that all the kids were
Read MoreThere is a special bond between a mother and her children. For Charlene, becoming a mother was the greatest gift, though it was becoming more challenging than she anticipated. “My kids taught me how to love and be loved,” said Charlene. “But happiness within our family has been missing for a long time.” Her sixteen
Read MoreMary* was trying to balance the stress of her job as a traveling hospice aid while parenting her four children with her ex-husband, all while eight months pregnant. As if this wasn’t enough, she found out that her boyfriend was abusing her four-year-old son while she was at work. During a visit with his children,
Read MoreFirst comes love, and then comes marriage, a house, and kids… it’s a tale as old as time. Jenny* and her husband followed these steps and were hopeful for their future together. Everything was going great until Jenny and her family lost their house. Her relationship with her husband became rocky, and they struggled to
Read MoreHighfields has had to adapt to the changing environment just like the rest of the world. For students part of the Residential Treatment Program, life isn’t much different, but it does have some new challenges. Highfields’ campus is full of relatively new students, which reduces the impact of peer leadership and leads to some behavioral
Read MoreWhile most summer activities were either cancelled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Highfields’ residential students were able to participate in basketball camp in late-August thanks to a grant from the RE Olds Foundation. Students and staff both looked forward to the basketball camp as a great way to end the stressful summer and
Read MoreTina* was being abused by her husband for years. She trained her mind to find ways to avoid making him upset in the hope that it would protect her and her kids, but it didn’t. She began to rely on drinking to cope. She was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and was referred
Read MoreMutisystemic Therapy (MST) is a family and community-based treatment program designed to help at-risk youth make better decisions. After 30 years in the food and beverage industry, Ron Jackson decided he needed a new challenge. He attended night classes to continue his education, and became one of the first therapists to be hired for Highfields’
Read MoreIngham Academy is an alternative high school in Lansing that gives youth involved in the court system a chance to earn a diploma while learning necessary life skills. It is run with a partnership between Ingham Intermediate School District, Highfields, and the Ingham County Circuit Court. Joanna Hayes began working at Highfields 13 years ago
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