What is Penikese?

The Penikese Island School is a small therapeutic boarding school for teenage boys located on tiny Penikese Island 12 miles SW of Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

George Cadwalader founded the school in 1973, envisioning Penikese as an alternative to juvenile jails, then called training schools, and a program based on choice and natural consequences rather than coercion in a family-sized, self-sufficient, and interdependent community. For this reason we sometimes refer to Penikese as a small school and home away from home.

Penikese's mission is to prepare struggling boys ages 15-18 to be productive and positive members of their families and communities.

Philosophically, Penikese strives to promote long-term internal change rather than impose superficial and often temporary conformity. Penikese is a powerful advocate for those who seek change in all aspects of their lives, and dedicates its resources to helping troubled adolescents "get better at what they are not good at."

Visit the links below to read some of Penikese's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
General FAQ
FAQ for Parents
FAQ for Students
FAQ for Agencies & Schools