Compass Rose Academy (CRA) held a ribbon cutting ceremony in celebration of its new campus on Friday, Aug. 27 at 10:00 a.m. The planning and construction of this project was led by Design Builder, Michael Kinder & Sons (MKS).

In 2012, White’s Residential and Family Services (White’s) expanded their range of services by launching a parent choice therapeutic residential program for families in crisis. The need for these therapeutic services continued to grow exponentially, leading to the creation of Compass Rose Academy, a program where parents could directly access these critical services. Compass Rose Academy has been incorporated as a unique division of White’s due to the increasing need for therapeutic residential services, for teen girls specifically. With this rising demand, White’s decided it was time to expand their footprint for Compass Rose Academy, offering an entirely autonomous campus for its residents.

“The new campus for Compass Rose Academy will enhance our ability to carry out our mission to offer hope and transformation through Christ to teenage girls and their families. The collaboration with MKS has been a critical partnership to build this campus in a cost-effective manner while creating a state-of-the-art facility designed to facilitate healing and growth. There is not another facility in the Midwest that will be its equal, and every aspect is designed with safety, healing, and growth as the primary drivers. We are thankful to have like-minded partners like MKS in creating this campus,” stated Ron Evans, President and CEO of White’s.

This 5-acre campus now includes new homes that have increased residential capacity from 24 to 48. There is also a new staff housing building to accommodate the necessary additional staff members. Finally, a multi-purpose building was built to contain a nurse’s clinic, administrative offices, and educational and therapy spaces to support each of the
specialty programs utilized within Compass Rose. The new campus sits on the south end of land owned by White’s but has its own entrance and signage.

Doug Kinder, President and Co-Owner at Michael Kinder & Sons said, “Since 2006 Michael Kinder & Sons has partnered with White’s Residential and Family Services on expanding its footprint to share their faith-filled mission of impacting young lives in a place to heal and a place to grow. The opening of the new campus at Compass Rose Academy provides another spirited path for young ladies to find the support from the White’s community. Compass Rose is the type of project in which we take special pride. White’s is changing lives, one at a time! To play a role in that endeavor is very meaningful to the MKS team.”

The Ribbon-cutting Ceremony is a commemorative tradition where a ribbon is cut to celebrate and recognize the official opening of a building or in this case, an entire campus of buildings. It is recognized by, and the ribbon is cut by, the businesses and individuals involved in the project. A red ceremonial ribbon is pulled along a crowd of those most involved in the project, and the ribbon is cut by oversized scissors. One or two short speeches will take place by those community individuals most involved or impacted by the project. Members from Compass Rose Academy, MKS, and MKM architecture + design, were in attendance, along with Wabash County community members and representatives from the Indiana Department of Child Services and the State Senate.

The event started at the front of the hub, where speakers, Ron Evans (White’s President and CEO), Andy Zay (IN State Senator), Dave Heist (CRA Board Vice President), Mike Haarer (CRA Vice President and Executive Director), Bill Kinder and a CRA student all said some brief words about the project and it’s impact. The ribbon was then cut, photos were taken, and the crowd of 50 moved inside for a reception in the lobby, hall and commons. Naming recognition of the rooms took place at the end of the event.

 

Written by Brooke Sheridan, Marketing Director
Michael Kinder & Sons, Inc.