The Hawk is Back
Hanna’s school principal, Dennis Crandall, rejuvenated The Hawk, the beloved mascot for the Center, by purchasing a new updated costume. He rallied the boys to apply to be the mascot and they jumped at the opportunity. Boys take turns donning the costume and rallying the fans.
Hanna has a great sports program, including basketball, soccer, volleyball and a championship baseball team. The mascot helps develop a true sense of school spirit.
Dennis shares, The Hanna Hawk inspires, encourages and cheers on the boys who have made the difficult decision to come to Hanna to turn their lives around. The Hawk continues to be a symbol of school pride for these boys. I think it has encouraged them to do their best and made them feel like they are part of something special. The Hawk brings smiles to everyone’s face – the boys, their families the staff and visitors to our campus. It is great to have the Hawk back in action!

Student Council Gets Kids Involved

To add to the enriching experience that Hanna Boys Center strives to create, the boys established a Student Council several years ago. Each cottage and group home elects a boy to represent them on the Student Council. The Student Council participates in many activities including supporting the athletic competitions by running the snack bar, holding campus rallies, and discussing ways to enhance after school, weekend and summer activities. The Council also assisted with the creation of the dress code which helps eliminate any kind of gang reference or styles on campus.
The Council, which meets once a week or more if needed, recently elected its new officers.
The 2007 Student Council
President: Patrick Vice-President: Juan Secretary: Jordan Treasurer: Tony Spirit Leader: Jimmy Athletic Director: Axel
Board members are: Dillon Alex Chan Efren Kienan

Hanna Boys Center's 4-H and Agriculture Program

Hanna's 4-H program is led by George "Bogey" Perry, a third generation Sonoma County rancher, who serves as Hanna Boys Center's Agriculture Director. Each year, there are over 20 boys vying to be members of Hanna's 4-H Club. George interviews each youngster and gives them an opportrunity to experience the 4-H and Agriculture Program before the final selection of five 4-H members is made. Boys are chosen for membership based on many factors including which youngster could most benefit from the experience and his desire to pareticipate in this unique, hand-on learning adventure.
George shares, "Hanna's 4-H and Agriculture Program is more than caring for animals and learning about agriculture, it is about learning to be consistent, responsible and dependable, qualities that will serve the boys well throughout their lives. It is also about providing the boys with a special experience that they will remember forever."
The winter 4-H and Agriculture Program offers the boys an opportunity to raise baby calves. Arriving from a local dairy, only hours old, the boys welcome the calves to the 4-H barn. Each calf has its own comfy pen filled with shavings and a heat lamp to keep him warm during the chilly Sonoma nights. The boys teach the calves how to drink from a bottle and often to stand and walk for the first time. The boys keep the calf pens tidy, clean and dry, and learn to measure and mix the formula. The boys track the calves' progress, slowly introducing them to alfalfa and grain.
The winter program also offers a special puppy program comprised of 5 Jack Russell Terriers that are eager for attention and have an abundance of energy ~ not unlike the boys. This program is especially effective for those youngsters who are shy or withdrawn. The pups don't give them a chance to be inhibited and shower the boys with affection.
The Spring 4-H and Agriculture Program welcomes the arrival of baby lambs. When they first arrive at Hanna, they are away from the flock, scared and worried about their new surroundings ~ not unlike the boys when they first leave their families and entroll in our program. The boys raise the lambs and learn to show them in preparation for the Sonoma County Fair and Livestock Auction.
During the Spring Program, the boys learn how to care for and feed the lambs, contain and recycle the waste into compost for the 4-H garden and also to replenish needed nutrients to the 4-H pastures.
The care of the calves and lambs includes learning how to: *maintin the good health of the animal including exercise, cleanliness, nutrition and pasture management; *develop a program to reach the desired growth and rate, establish feeding schedules to achieve the goal, and monitor and record growth patterns; *track food consumption; and *perform industry approved grooming and show techniques.
With any kind of program or effort it is importrant to have goals. Hanna's 4-H and Agriculture Program has two levels of goals: Short Term Goals: Provide a new learning experience for the boys and an opportrunity for the boys to build skill levels. Long Term Goals: In addition to building skill levels, the project seeks the opportunity for boys to become 4-H advisors, providing guidance, instruction and role modeling for the 4-H participants joining in the next year. Each 4-H participant learns to be an Ambassador of the 4-H and Agriculture Program during Open Houses and campus tours and become involved in the agricultural community through their experiences during the year and through the Sonoma County Fair and Livestock Auction.

Read to Succeed

In response to the tremendous need to improve the reading level of the boys enrolling in Hanna’s Program, our educational team developed a special curriculum called the Read to Succeed Program. Based on their proficiency, or lack there of, boys are included in classes that serve to encourage and support their reading skill building. The Read to Succeed Program utilizes specially developed books that are age appropriate (for junior high and high school students) and addresses reading levels from non reader to the 2nd grade, 3rd to 4th grade, 5th to 6th grade, and 7th grade and beyond.
The Read to Succeed Program is cross curriculum and supported by every aspect of Hanna’s Program, including opportunities to read with volunteer tutors and in the cottages and group homes. The goal of the Read to Succeed Program is to increase a youngster’s reading level by one to two grade levels each year.
“Before I came to Hanna Boys Center I was failing in school. I had reading difficulties and school was a very negative place for me. I often felt like a failure and to cover that up, I would become very disruptive in class or just sit there and do nothing. It wasn’t a good situation for me, for the teachers, or the other kids in my class. My whole life has changed in the last six years. Through Hanna’s program, reading is something I now enjoy. I can tell you, I never thought those words would be coming out of my mouth.”
Robert, age 18 Sonoma, California
Robert enrolled in Hanna’s Program in 2001. Taking full advantage of Hanna’s specialized educational and therapeutic help, Robert spent the next 6 years overcoming a variety of challenges. He graduated from Hanna Boys Center’s Program in June 2007 and is now attending Sonoma State University thanks to generous donations made to Hanna's Scholarship Fund.




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Hanna Boys Center  17000 Arnold Drive  P.O. Box 100  Sonoma, CA 95476-0100  Toll Free: 1-877-994-2662

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