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HOME CAMPUS (The Village of Boys Town)
Q. IS THERE STILL A BOYS TOWN? HOW MANY CHILDREN DO YOU HELP THERE? (top)
A. Yes. Boys Town became an incorporated village of the state of Nebraska in 1936. It has 900-acres of land with 72 homes (69 family residential homes and three behavioral health homes) that can care for about 850 children annually. It has fire and police departments, Catholic and Protestant chapels, two schools, a farm and a U.S. Post Office. The Village is run by a duly elected Board of Trustees, which is independent of the Home’s National Board of Trustees. Boys Town is a National Historic Landmark. It remains the national headquarters for all Boys Town operations.
Q. WHERE DO THE GIRLS AND BOYS WHO STAY AT HOME CAMPUS COME FROM? (top)
A. Every state in the union has been represented in the Village of Boys Town, with children from as many as 30 to 40 states in residence at any given time. Boys Town also has accepted children from the U.S. Territories and several foreign countries.
Q. HAS ANYONE FAMOUS VISITED THE VILLAGE? (top)
A. The Village of Boys Town, Neb., has been visited by numerous celebrities during the last few years, including Secretary of State Colin Powell; former Major League Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth; Mickey Rooney and the late Bobs Watson, stars of the 1938 movie “Boys Town”; artisan Theo Faberge; Grammy Award-winning musician and composer Chip Davis; sports figures Dale Brown, Peyton Manning, Michael Jordan, Ozzie Smith, Tom Osborne, Lou Holtz, Rick Pitino, Bill Walsh, Joe Theismann, Jim Kaat, Dick Vitale, Steve Spurrier and Robin Roberts; actor Arnold Schwarzenegger; and ambassadors and dignitaries from several foreign countries.
Q. IS THERE A WAITING LIST FOR YOUR HOME CAMPUS RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM? (top)
A. No. The Admissions Office works with social welfare agencies, juvenile courts or relatives to place a child at Boys Town as quickly and efficiently as possible. Admissions are timed to coincide with openings created by high school graduation or by program graduates returning to their own communities or families. There are very few occasions when a child cannot be admitted because there is not an immediate opening. If no immediate opening is available, Boys Town works with the agency, court or relative to accommodate the child until there is an opening.
Q. HOW DOES THE HEALING PROCESS BEGIN ONCE A CHILD IS ADMITTED INTO THE BOYS TOWN RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM AT THE VILLAGE? (top)
A. There are two schools on campus: Wegner Middle School and Boys Town High School, which includes the Vocational Career Center. Boys and girls take classes required by the State of Nebraska and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
In addition to the core curriculum, all students are required to take four basic career courses: keyboarding and typing, computer literacy, employability skills, and home maintenance.
Boys Town’s educational system provides academic opportunities as well as job and independent living skills. Students may take advanced placement courses or take advantage of our employment training courses.
Vocationally bound students can choose from one of six specific areas: business education; human services; health care; construction; computers; and automotive services.
Boys Town also has a Reading Center that conducts applied research on literacy programs at Boys Town schools.
In addition, Boys Town ofers an extensive 4-H training program in farm field operations. Youth learn livestock and agricultural training and greenhouse management. Specific activities include everything from animal nutrition to honey bee management and farm machinery operation.
Q. DOES THE VILLAGE OF BOYS TOWN STILL HAVE A YOUTH MAYOR? HAS A GIRL EVER BEEN ELECTED? (top)
A. Yes on both counts. Boys Town students still vote for the mayor. Ritha Moro, Boys Town's first black female mayor and the second female mayor in Boys Town’s history was elected mayor for the 1996-97 school year. She is from Abaco, Bahamas. Sarah Williamson, Boys Town’s first girl mayor, held office during the 1991-92 school year.
Q. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO OVERLOOK FARM? DO CHILDREN STILL WORK ONs THE FARM? (top)
A.The current Village of Boys Town in Nebraska is built across the street from Overlook Farm, which still exists. When Father Flanagan moved to Overlook Farm in 1921, the children learned to support themselves, in part, by planting and harvesting crops and raising livestock. That tradition continues today as many girls and boys work on the farm maintaining the animals and landscaping as part of the 4-H Club or the employment skills program.
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