June 13, 2010
Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong
Written by Lydia Ma

Cheng-Feng Teens School (CFTS) held a graduation on June 3 at Glory Church in Taipei to celebrate the accomplishments of 12 students. The school has been serving delinquent youth for more than a decade.

Founded in 1999 by Glory Church in Taipei, CFTS is an organization with a vision for helping youth who cannot attend regular schools, learn through standard school curricula, or youth who are dealing with crises in life that prevent them from going to regular schools.

According to CFTS, it has helped 15 teenagers this year and 12 of them are now graduating from the school while the remaining 3 are returning to their former, regular schools.

Teenagers who seek CFTS's help usually come from families that can no longer provide for them. Many aren't willing or able to return and live at home. Some teenagers attend CFTS because they've been arrested and the outcome of their trial is still pending.

Most teenagers who attend CFTS do so because they cannot thrive in the current educational system in Taiwan. The way lessons are taught in public schools cannot further their learning. In many of these cases, school officials were the ones who referred students to CFTS.

The ultimate goal of CFTS is to see every student it has helped overcome life's difficulties, set personal goals, and strive toward fulfilling those dreams and achieve full potential.

Hsiao-yueh, one of this year's graduates, lost her mother last semester. With support from CFTS social workers who kept her company and encouraged her, she was able to get all the help she needed to get back on her own two feet. Now, she is all smiles and brings laughter to everyone who meets her. Her personal aspiration is to open a French restaurant and she plans to work toward reaching that goal after she graduates. CFTS bought a cross necklace for every student as graduation present. Social workers from CFTS fastened the necklaces for every student. As students received their own necklaces, they were moved with gratitude and hugged the grown-ups who'd made such a difference in their lives.

According to CFTS President and Glory Church pastor, Rev. Chu Tai-sheng, he didn't have any experience counseling delinquents when he first founded the school. At the time, church staff had to bargain with youth mafia in some instances just to help students stay in school. These challenges have now faded into the distance and the church has learned how to effectively help delinquent youth get back on track after a great deal of experience.

In contrast to previous years, this year's graduation ceremony was closed to the media to avoid harassment, which had occurred on previous occasions. However, the absence of media also highlighted social indifference toward delinquent youth and their plight.

Taiwan Church News