Costello Prep

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,889
1,029
They were tearing down the fence at the Boot Camp yesterday and this morning this sign.
I wonder what the entrance requirements are?
 

dogg57

Piney
Jan 22, 2007
2,912
378
Southern NJ
southjerseyphotos.com
Faculty Details and Student Enrollment



Students and Faculty
  • Total Students Enrolled: 27
  • Total Full Time "Equivalent" Teachers: 9.0
  • Average Student-To-Teacher Ratio: 3.0
Students Gender Breakdown
  • Males: 27 (100.0%)
  • Females: - (-)
Student Enrollment Distribution by Race / Ethnicity
345350870-Costello-Preparatory-School-Ethnicity.png




NumberPercent
American Indian - -
Black 24 88.9%
Asian - -
Hispanic 1 3.7%
White - -
Number of Students Per Grade
345350870-Costello-Preparatory-School-Grades-Offered.png




NumberPercent
9th Grade 5 18.5%
10th Grade 8 29.6%
11th Grade 11 40.7%
12th Grade 3 11.1%

Source: NJ Department of Education, Source: NCES 2009-2010
 

glowordz

Explorer
Jan 19, 2009
585
8
SC
www.gloriarepp.com
"Costello Prep is operated as a partnership between the Juvenile Justice Commission and Project U.S.E., a private, nonprofit education organization."

"Costello Prep offers an understanding environment balanced with a structured treatment program for a maximum of fifty adjudicated young men between the ages of sixteen and nineteen, providing for the academic, social, and therapeutic needs of its residents. Participants are engaged in high school and college level academic pursuits, job skill training, and individual and group counseling. The residents of Costello Prep are also active members of the community and regularly participate in service projects in the local area and throughout New Jersey.
Young men in the program also have the opportunity to participate in adventure-based programming and character development including onsite ropes courses and offsite wilderness activities. These experiences focus on leadership, community building, communication, and other critical life skills that compliment other aspects of their rehabilitation.
Costello Prep prepares residents to return to their communities as positive, contributing members. While at the program, the Juvenile Justice Commission's Office of Juvenile Parole and Transition Services coordinates the needs of these youth to ensure that upon release they return to school, locate employment and/or receive other necessary services."
http://www.nj.gov/lps/jjc/group_centers.htm

Sounds like an ambitious and hopeful program. Can you imagine the heart-break represented by those 27 kids?

Glo
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,054
3,327
Pestletown, N.J.
As hard hearted as I am when it comes to Gumnt' programs, I think that these particular programs provide a worthy chance at keeping someone from a death spiral into a life of serious crime.
I did some work at the Pinelands Developmental Center at the intersection of 563 and 679 and at the Manor Woods facility in Estell Manor several years ago and the staff that I had interactions with were caring people who really gave it their all to turn these kids around.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,694
I have an email sent trying to get to the bottom of this. When I hear back I will post.

Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,694
Here is what I have learned.

It was turned over to a private contractor about a year ago. We still maintain the building but there are no longer corrections officers there, just social workers.


 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,826
3,005
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
It's funny that this has just come up. In revising my map recently, I noticed "Phillip M. Costello Prep Academy" in the POI data and wondered what it was. Looking at the map I realized it was the Boot Camp facility.

costello.png


So that got me wondering where the POI came from and if it should be changed, or whatever. I backtracked and found that this POI was included in the list of pines waypoints that Guy gave me years ago for my first map.

What is the history of that place? Who was Costello? Was it a regular private school of some sort once? Or has it always been some kind of juvenile detention facility?
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,694
As far as I know it has always been a juvenile facility. They must not be serious offenders because I have seen them outside playing basketball on their own unless someone was off to the side that I could not see. Ed said he has noticed they marched in a town parade on at least one occation. Up until a few years ago there were no signs telling you to keep out and I drove up there. It was winter and nobody was around.

It was not there on HistoricAerials in 1963 but it was in 1970, and there use to be a road or path to the road from Carranza to Hampton Park. Whoever picked that location made a good choice.

Guy
 

dogg57

Piney
Jan 22, 2007
2,912
378
Southern NJ
southjerseyphotos.com
Phillip M. Costello was the founding Executive Director of Project U.S.E. Born in Burlington, NJ, Phil graduated from high school and joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He received degrees in education from Trenton State College and Montclair State University, taught at Trenton H.S. and worked as a field instructor with Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Maine. While in Trenton Phil and L. Jose Gonzales created Action Bound, an outdoor adventure program designed to give young people the opportunity to learn about themselves and each other, develop leadership skills, enhance their self-esteem, and enjoy new experiences. After several successful years the pair decided to make the program their full-time endeavor, and, in 1970, created Project U.S.E.
http://projectuse.org/about/
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,826
3,005
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
Interesting stuff - thanks. So it was originally named Costello Prep when it was first created around 1970? I remember the first time I drove past there, almost 20 years ago. There was a teenage boy walking down the road not far from the entrance on Carranza and he flagged me down, asking for a lift because his car broke down. I didn't see any car and something didn't seem quite right. Then I looked in the rear view mirror and saw another kid running up the road towards my car. I said "sorry" and got out of there!

When I lived in Medford and went out that way I would frequently and see groups of the kids jogging or marching down Carranza Road and the surrounding dirt roads.
 
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