Many adolescents enter adulthood lacking basic social, life an employment readiness skills. Becket's Young Adult Services offer a safety net of support to young adults in need of supervision and life skills readiness.
Our goal is to incrementally prepare these young adults for the business of life in an environment which promotes and teaches personal and social responsibility, adaptive skills, resiliency and independence.
The Becket House at Pike focuses on young adults who have significant mental health barriers that are preventing them from achieving a community based transition to adulthood. The campus is located on a 2,000 acre farm and wildlife preserve, which provides an excellent place to help students begin to practice life skills.
Latest News at Becket House at Pike
"The 1st Trip" (poem by resident Arthur)
September 2009, Becket House at Pike
After a long, satisfying day of canoeing, fishing and camping at Ricker pond, resident Arthur wrote this poem by propane light to reflect on his feelings of the day:
The 1st Trip
The area is warm, but a chill is in the air,
The comfort and health of our stay,
Has drawn away all fears,
Inside the faith and hearts of three men comes years of pain,
From way back when as long as we were here,
Feelings are there but all the past failures,
Disappear in the whisper of the air.
Preparing a Meal for David's House
September 2009, Becket House at Pike
Becket House at Pike resident, Chris, has proven himself to be quite talented in the kitchen around his fellow housemates. Chris’s culinary passion
recently led him to cook dinner and volunteer his services at David’s House. Located in Hanover, NH, David’s House provides accommodations and services
for families of children that are being treated at the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth. David’s House relies heavily on volunteers to provide many
support services to the families in need.
Chris helped out in all aspects of planning, preparation and the cooking of a delicious meal for the current guests
at David’s House. The meal was a big hit and everyone was very grateful for a home cooked meal in a time of need.
Hunter Safety at the Ammonoosuc Valley Fish and Game Club
September 2009, Becket House at Pike
Avid outdoorsman, Becket House at Pike resident Jon, recently participated and completed the Hunter Safety course offered by the Ammonoosuc
Valley Fish & Game Club.
This was a 20 hour course consisting of classroom instruction, gun safety, compass reading and target practice.
Jon passed the course with flying colors and scored a 94% on his final exam.
Exploring Groton Forest
August 2009, Becket House at Pike
Groton State Forest offers great camping and fishing spots which Arthur B & Jon M took full advantage of this summer. Established in the 1930’s, the park is located on the western shores of Ricker Pond neighboring the Montpelier-Wells River Rail Trail.
With over 26,000 acres, Groton State Forest is the 2nd largest landholding in Vermont, consisting of 17 miles of hiking trails and over 20 miles of gravel roads ideal for mountain biking and horseback riding.
Many campers take advantage of the lean-tos throughout this wet summer.
The young men hope to next explore Kettle Pond which consists of a 109 acre undeveloped pond and the young men will be staying in one of the remote lean to sites there as well.
Camping at Dodge Falls
August 2009, Becket House at Pike
A series of primitive canoe campsites along the Connecticut River are utilized as a learning opportunity for the Becket House at Pike residents. Many of these campsites are made possible by generous private landowners and are maintained by volunteers for the enjoyment of the public.
Students learn good camping practice skills such as; respecting their neighbors' sites, leaving as little impact on the environment as possible, safely cooking outdoors, and proper water usage. Good stories and many laughs were shared around the campfire after a long day of fishing.
Becket House at Pike Resident finds Peace in Camping
July, 2009, Becket House at Pike
Becket House at Pike resident Jonathan McGovern recently took advantage of the summer weather and enjoyed spending an overnight at the Harkdale Farm Campsite on the Vermont side of the Connecticut River. One will find many primitive sites managed by the Upper Valley Land Trust, between McIndoe Falls dam and the State of Massachusetts. UVLT is a partner with the Connecticut River Joint Commissions, local land trusts and private landowners. Fully equipped with camping supplies, Jon enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Connecticut River.
Becket Student Helps Clean up Vandalism at Boy Scout Site
May, 2009, Becket House at Pike
Becket House at Pike resident, Jon McGovern, recently
heard the call to help when he learned about the recent vandalism to the Boy Scout Troup 888 campsite in Danville, VT.
On May 27, 2009, the "Caledonian Record"
covered the incident and the efforts of the community to repair the site:
"DANVILLE - Support and offers to help the Boy Scouts
restore their campground destroyed by vandals during an out-of- control underage drinking party early in May have come from all over, according to
Scoutmaster David A.Towle. "We have received overwhelming response from the community," Towle said. “I’ve had many emails, including those from three
other states, offering their support and encouraging words."
Smoke billowing from rustic roofs of local "sugar shacks" can be seen far and wide across the New Hampshire mountains. Late winter and early spring is prime maple season across most of northern New England.
Typically, the sap begins to flow when a good hard freeze is followed by a sunny day with temperatures in the high 40s. Peak tapping season only lasts 3-4 weeks, so the maple season is a very busy time for sugar enthusiasts. While a variety of trees may be used to make syrup, maple trees are the popular choice due to their high concentration of sugar.
Large scale sugar shacks run elaborate lines from tree to tree to maximize the quantity of sap collected. At the Pike campus, however, Becket House at Pike students learn how to make maple syrup the old fashioned way by tapping trees with a spigot, collecting the sap by hand and boiling the water out over a wood burning stove. Farm Manager, Hugh Underhill, gives Becket House at Pike students a lesson on making maple syrup the old fashioned way:
Becket House at Pike Helping Neighbors in Need
March, 2008, Becket House at Pike
Becket House at Pike students recently found the opportunity to give back to their community. Two staff members and three residents set out on a mild winter March afternoon to perform a community service project in Warren, NH. The project involved helping a family clean up and rebuild after a devastating fire destroyed their home recently.
The young men and staff cut trees and logs into firewood and dragged brush from the area where the new home is to be built. It was a very self rewarding activity for the residents and they learned quite a bit about safety, teamwork, and the importance of community support.
The rebuilding project will take months and the family was very grateful for Becket's assistance and welcomed Becket House at Pike students back any time.
Volunteering at Warren Fish Hatchery
March, 2008, Becket House at Pike
Becket House at Pike resident, Jonathan McGovern, has been fortunate enough to assist the Warren Fish Hatchery with their salmon restoration program. Atlantic salmon disappeared from the Connecticut River in the early 1800's due to uncontrolled fishing and the construction of dams, which prevented the fish from migrating. Early attempts were made to bring the salmon back to the Connecticut River, but efforts were not lasting.
In the 1960's, attempts began again to revive the salmon population. The Warren Fish Hatchery has been very active in bringing back the Atlantic salmon throughout the Connecticut River and they have seen growth in salmon population over the years.
Black Ash Basket Making at Becket House at Pike
November, 2008, Becket House at Pike
Native American culture was celebrated recently at the Becket House of Pike when residents received an introduction to Black Ash Basket Making from local resident, Jesse Larocque. As noted on the the Vermont Arts Council website, “Jesse Larocque's black ash baskets express the living tradition of his Abenaki ancestors. The life of a basket begins deep in the swamp where Jesse chooses the right tree that will be suitable for basket making. The ash is later hand pounded, shaved, and split in preparation for being woven in the traditional manner without machines or molds.
The very early baskets were made from ash pounded from logs by groups of men with tree branches. Young boys carried these “splints” to the women who split them by hand. Young women then wove the bottoms of the baskets. In the evenings after the meal was finished and the children were sleeping, the women finished weaving the baskets and the men helped lash the rims on. The next day the baskets were loaded into the canoes and taken to trade at nearby villages for items that were useful. Baskets were the equivalent of money. Baskets were used in every aspect of Native life from fish traps, cooking baskets, and burden baskets, to baby cradles and more.
Passing on the teachings through participation and guided practice is alive and well today and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. A true sense of mastery and accomplishment is felt by those who complete an Abenaki-style ash basket in a workshop setting."
"Pike Days" Parade Brings Back Ol' Time Fun
September, 2008, Becket House at Pike
Becket House at Pike proudly supported the 25th Annual Pike/East Haverhill Days on September 20th. This year's theme was “Stars & Stripes.” Some of the more popular events for the day included:
While reflecting on the day, Mark Mitchell, EHA Program Administrator noted that, "We all are blessed to live in the peaceful communities of Pike and East Haverhill and enjoy the friendship of our neighbors."
Becket House at Pike Discovers Loon's Summer Adventures
August, 2008, Becket House at Pike
Becket House at Pike students recently found that Loon Mountain isn't just for winter skiing. Loon offers a full array of activities for the "off seasons" as well. Students Justin and Jon were able to fine-tune their handiwork skills by carving walking sticks at the Artisans' Village atop Loon Mountain.
Other activities that students enjoyed were; hiking, climbing the outdoor rock wall, and exploring the boardwalks, tunnels, and passages through Loon's granite boulders and ledges. Expect to have a lot of fun exploring the tunnels and passages (as the Pike students did), but also expect to get very dirty!
Two New Graduates at East Haverhill Academy
August, 2008, East Haverhill Academy
We are proud to congratulate two students that recently completed graduation requirements, Evan B. (East Haverhill Academy) and Oliver T. (Becket House at Pike). Friends and faculty held a ceremony at Hall Farm to acknowledge their hard work and to present them with their earned certificates.
Upon completion of his final requirements, Oliver T. is very enthusiastic about his success:
“I feel really good about this accomplishment. I want to thank the teachers for not quitting on me when times were rough. I would like to go to a Community College or Trade School to learn more about cooking.”
Oliver, who resides at Becket’s Young Adult living program, has made great strides in his employability development by gaining part-timeemployment in our local community. We continue to work closely with Oliver to assist him in further developing his independent living, vocational, and employability training skills and to help him achieve his goals. Great job Oliver!
Evan B. completed his final requirements as well and is very excited with his achievement:
“I feel really good about my accomplishment of graduating high school. I would say that the vocational training and building relationships with staff members and peers were the most important parts of my time at EHA. The programming provided me with the daily structure I needed to achieve my goals. The next step is to establish myself within the community. I am going to get a job and my long-term plan is to be 100% independent.”
With the assistance of his family and Becket’s Treatment Team, Evan has made connections with transitional services in the community and has already moved his belongings into his new apartment. We are confident that Evan will find success as he transitions to the next stage of his young adult life. Good luck to you Evan!
Maiden Voyage for a Couple of Rookies
July 2008, Becket House at Pike
Becket House at Pike residents recently embarked on their first canoe trip on Fire Pond. Hot day, cool pond, and a sturdy canoe, what more could one ask for? This excursion was the first time in a canoe for Jacob and Richie. Luckily, Johnny M., the old seasoned pro, offered instructions and support. Johnny said he felt just like staff by helping others learning the fine art of canoe navigation. Fun was had by all and they look forward to many other canoeing tours.
Aztec Dancers Perform in Haverhill, NH hill, NH
June 2008
Under cloudy skies, the rain held off long enough for the Luis Salinas family Aztec Dancers from Mexico City, Mexico to perform outdoors at the Nawihla Native American Festival. Becket students enjoyed the historical experience and cultural performance the dancers brought from Mexico.
DJ for a Day at WLTN (96.7)
May 2008
Two residents from Becket House at Pike recently had the chance to play "DJ for a Day" at WLTN radio station (96.7) in Littleton, NH. The goal of the trip was to give the boys a taste of what life is like to run a radio station.
The Becket boys were shown the nuts and bolts of how radio is broadcast to its listeners, and what it is like to record a radio commercial. They were also given the opportunity to write and record their own music as if it were a song to be played on the airwaves. Becket Family of Services would like to extend our appreciation to Phil Rivera and the WLTN staff for providing our young men the opportunity to enjoy a day in the community while learning more about possible career choices they can strive for.
Becket House at Pike resident, Chris, has proven himself to be quite talented in the kitchen around his fellow housemates. Chris’s culinary passion
recently led him to cook dinner and volunteer his services at David’s House. Located in Hanover, NH, David’s House provides accommodations and services
for families of children that are being treated at the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth. David’s House relies heavily on volunteers to provide many
support services to the families in need.
Avid outdoorsman, Becket House at Pike resident Jon, recently participated and completed the Hunter Safety course offered by the Ammonoosuc
Valley Fish & Game Club.
Groton State Forest offers great camping and fishing spots which Arthur B & Jon M took full advantage of this summer. Established in the 1930’s, the park is located on the western shores of Ricker Pond neighboring the Montpelier-Wells River Rail Trail.
A series of primitive canoe campsites along the Connecticut River are utilized as a learning opportunity for the Becket House at Pike residents. Many of these campsites are made possible by generous private landowners and are maintained by volunteers for the enjoyment of the public.
Becket House at Pike resident Jonathan McGovern recently took advantage of the summer weather and enjoyed spending an overnight at the Harkdale Farm Campsite on the Vermont side of the Connecticut River. One will find many primitive sites managed by the Upper Valley Land Trust, between McIndoe Falls dam and the State of Massachusetts. UVLT is a partner with the Connecticut River Joint Commissions, local land trusts and private landowners. Fully equipped with camping supplies, Jon enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Connecticut River.
Becket House at Pike resident, Jon McGovern, recently
heard the call to help when he learned about the recent vandalism to the Boy Scout Troup 888 campsite in Danville, VT.
On May 27, 2009, the "
Becket House at Pike students recently found the opportunity to give back to their community. Two staff members and three residents set out on a mild winter March afternoon to perform a community service project in Warren, NH. The project involved helping a family clean up and rebuild after a devastating fire destroyed their home recently.
