Education
Richard
Richard was a 17-year-old Junior in High School with a world of opportunity ahead of him. He was a top athlete on his school’s swim team, in honors classes and seemingly doing well. As the oldest sibling in his family, Richard even helped his single mom take care of his younger brothers and sisters. He…
Read MoreLucy
Sex trafficking is not just a problem confined to faraway countries. Here in Milwaukee, girls as young as 13 are coerced into the sex trade. Lucy was one of those girls. As a young teenager, Lucy was abducted and locked in a basement by a man she thought she could trust. He drugged and exploited…
Read MoreAmalia
“My year at Synergy was a real transition. It helped me realize I, too, want to help people.” Amalia spent a good deal of her youth struggling with emotional issues. But when she enrolled in Lad Lake’s Synergy Alternative School, Amalia quickly turned her life around, discovering a creative energy the Synergy staff actively encouraged.…
Read MoreKyle
“The most valuable lesson I learned at Lad Lake was to make friends before you make foes. And always try to be friendly.” When Kyle enrolled in Lad Lake’s Day Education program at age 11, he struggled with disciplinary issues and had a difficult time controlling his anger. Four short years later, he’s begun transitioning…
Read MoreNicole
One winter, Milwaukee police found a teenage girl shivering on the streets and suffering from hypothermia. They brought her back safely, took her into custody, and transferred her to Lad Lake’s St. Rose campus. Her name was Nicole. She was 17. Her mother battled with mental illness, while her father struggled to make the rent.…
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