Robert Shelton of Lallie Kemp agrees. The students benefit because they are exposed to the business side of life. Our toughest challenge is pairing youth with a mentor. We like to consider the students' backgrounds and interests and we try to pair them with a young person on the move, rather than someone settled back with a desk job. For many of the students, this is their first time away from home and according to Penalber, the MSUB lifestyle is fairly strict.
Rules are an important part of the program.
We're trying to teach them self discipline. Their mom's are not there to wake them up in the morning or get their clothes together for them, they have to learn to do it themselves. These are very bright students who aren't used to having this structured time, to having to do things all the time. Sure they complain at first and it is rigorous, but once they get used to it they find they enjoy it. You have to do your own laundry, wake up on your own and take care of yourself.