Founded in 1884, St. John's Northwestern Military Academy is a private, all-male institution with a "structured military-style environment." Offering college prep and leadership skills programs to instill values, mandatory participation in sports is also required to help the youths develop physically, as well as promote a solid work ethic. Primarily a boarding school, the academy also has day programs for students in grades 7 through 12, as well as post-secondary-school programs in partnership with the University of Wisconsin. About 350 students are admitted to the boarding program each year, with up to an additional 25 accepted into the day program.
"WRA is an alternative school for troubled teens, which focuses on permanent lifestyle changes in the physical, mental, social and emotional aspects of a struggling teen's life," according to the White River Academy Boarding School website. WRA offers an independent curriculum covering grades 6 through 12, including college and GED preparation, as well as a military training program for boys. The academy selection process is extensive, and participation in fitness activities is mandatory. Class sizes are limited to 10 students, with attendance averaging 12 to 18 months, depending on the child's progress.
Serving boys between the ages of 12 and 18, Mount Carmel Youth Ranch is a Catholic-Christian "therapeutic boarding school," specifically founded for troubled teens or at-risk youth. With a focus on Christian morality, the school offers "Real Life Therapy" in a cattle-ranch setting, the main purpose of which is to increase self-esteem.
Diamond Ranch Academy is an all-male reform school for youth between the ages of 12 and 18. Founded in 1999, the academy is authorized under federal law to enroll international students, and has four individually licensed campuses on its 200 acres, divided based on gender and age. Two of these campuses are reserved for young men only: Lava Falls, for boys 16 to 18, and Stone Ridge, for boys 12 to 15.