Changing lives by educating and empowering young people, one life at a time.
Proposed Facilities and Programs
KLD has come a long way, but our vision is to go much further in serving our at-risk students, as well as other youth and families throughout Brevard County. Our short-term goal is to acquire property with at least 30 buildable acres so that we can develop a central campus containing a school, dormitory, administration building, and indoor and outdoor activity facilities. This campus will provide innovative, specialized education; career and lifestyle training; and a complete array of outside-of-school activities (including community-service outreach projects)—all in a safe, fun, and exciting environment for young people of all ages. Our ultimate vision for this campus includes the following:
1. Learning Center
The KLD Learning Center will provide high school, dual enrollment, college, and vocational training, preparing students for any life-skill they desire, from degreed professional to master tradesman. Classes will be small (10-1 ratio), with one-on-one instruction, and continuous career counseling will be available. Solid academic foundations in math, science, history, and language skills will be emphasized; and all students will be taught business ethics and accounting. A demanding high school/college dual-enrollment curriculum will enable students to enter the workforce with confidence they have the skills and knowledge needed on the job. The school will also offer specialized training in the following subjects:
• Welding
• HVAC
• Electrical
• Automotive Mechanic
• Diesel Engine Mechanic
• Plumbing
• Graphic Design and Printing
• Culinary Arts
• Hospitality Management
• Philanthropic Leadership
• Plant Operations
2. Social Center
The center will continue to provide a safe, supervised environment during critical outside-of-school hours, drawing youth off the streets and away from drugs, alcohol, and destructive behavior, and into a facility full of fun activities, loud entertainment, and positive nurturing. It will expand its programs and services to include the following:
Learning Lab • Available to all students in K-12 and junior college, as well as all adults, the Lab will offer tutoring and customized programs for students needing individualized attention to make immediate progress. It will be staffed with certified teachers and volunteers with subject-related experience and will use educational web sites, course study guides, videos, and study groups. Student may use the Lab for an entire semester or just for additional preparation before a difficult test.
Computer Center • A state-of-the-art computer center with a variety of software will provide instructional assistants and one-on-one tutoring for computers from beginning to advanced.
Food court with restaurant & juice bar • The Restaurant will offer a fine dining experience within the Social Center and complement our onsite Cafeteria and Culinary Training Center. The Food Court will offer a variety of good food at a very minimal price; our goal is not to make a profit from feeding our teens, but to provide jobs and life-skills training. We will work with schools and community partners to offer on-the-job training in return for high school and college credits.
Internet Café • Our café will provide teens with the opportunity to access the Internet, enjoy a cup of coffee, and share Internet experiences in a comfortable and safe environment.
Arcade & Video Game Room • Available to 14-19-year-olds, the game area will offer pool tables, ping pong tables, arcade games, non-violent video games, and big screen TVs.
Gatheria • The Gatheria will be a vibrant place for small-group socializing, allowing teens to “hang-out,” participate in Bible study, or pursue other interests. It will be designed to inspire friendships as well as faith, in an atmosphere that will foster safe alternatives to unsupervised outside-of-school hours.
Christian Retail Store • An alternative to secular mall stores, our store will offer Christian clothing, music, jewelry, and accessories. It will convey a clean and positive lifestyle while encouraging young people to share the gospel with others.
Radio & TV Studio • Hands-on training in state-of-the-art broadcast studios will provide individual attention in small workshops to young people in the exciting fields of film and television production, on-camera news and sports reporting, radio broadcasting, and advertising. Students will learn how to conceptualize, write, and produce programming in radio and television courses; assist in producing KLD Learning Center - Focus on Excellence; participate in filming special conferences; and produce online classes, documentaries, promotional videos, teaching packages, and studio dramas. Workshops will include basic radio technical skills and art, drama, documentary, and development of web-based training materials. With classes and workshops in public relations, policy development, fundraising services, employee/staff/board relations, budgeting and financial planning, and project development, our students will be equipped for internships with local radio and television stations, corporations, advertising agencies, and public relations firms.
3. Career Resource Center
Staffed with counselors and clinical social workers, this Center will assist individuals with job readiness, career counseling, leadership development, and job search and placement services, partnering with local businesses to meet their employment needs. Courses will include:
• Financial, Debt, and Money Management
• Protecting and Increasing Your Portfolio
• Job Search Skills
• Personal Employability
• Basic Workplace Laws
• Basic Workplace Laws
• Internet and Email Skills
• Exploring College
• Leadership Development
• Time Management and Organization Skills
• Social Skills
4. Other Facilities
Auditorium • Featuring kitchenettes, dining space, lounges, rehearsal halls, dressing rooms, and state-of-the-art sound, acoustics, lighting, and special effects, our Auditorium will host performing arts, special events, meetings, conferences, receptions, and other functions.
Fitness Center with Gymnasium & Spa • Our gymnasium will host year-round basketball and volleyball leagues, as well as gymnastic and cheerleading training and competitions. Designed to teach and motivate young people to pursue a healthy life-style, our fitness center will provide a variety of exercise, martial arts, weight-loss, strength-training, stretching, and general conditioning classes. Our staff of trainers will work with teens to design and implement individual programs that are fun, safe, and effective. Staffed with licensed therapists, our spa will offer both Spa Management training and spa treatments.
Aquatic Center • Our Aquatic Center will offer swimming lessons, life guard certifications, and scuba training. It will also provide a full day of fun for the entire family, with its cool blue waves, waterslides, and lazy river.
Health and Mental Wellness Clinic • This facility will provide a walk-in medical clinic for non-emergencies, a laboratory, an infirmary during the academic year for Pillar Institute students and staff, and a mental health and counseling clinic. A full-time nurse practitioner will provide general medical care in collaboration with our physicians and offer health education classes to interested students. A crisis intervention counselor will be available on a 24-hour basis for students who have experienced a traumatic incident. Available to individuals, couples, and groups, our counseling services will include assessments and plans of action, family counseling, and referrals to resources in the community. These services are intended to (1) improve the social and psychological functioning of participants through self-awareness, personal growth, and self-empowerment and (2) prevent violence, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and sexually-transmitted diseases.