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Aaron Smith Honored for Five Years of Service at Boys Home

Aaron Smith meant to be a cartoonist. By his mid-twenties, he was running with the wrong crowd and working on getting a record deal in the rap industry. That is, until his aunt persuaded him to leave the northeast and move to Covington, Virginia, to get a fresh start.

Aaron has spent over five years as a house parent at Boys Home of Virginia, fulfilling a calling that has pulled him in a totally new direction. He uses his background in art, music, and sports to relate to the young men he mentors. He also comes with experience in the trades of sheet metal and print shop technology. His growing up years were spent between New Jersey and the Bronx, as well as visiting family in Philadelphia. When he works with residents who come from difficult backgrounds, he assures them that they don’t need to be tough at Boys Home. He encourages them to drop the tough exteriors and learn to be themselves in an environment where it is safe to do so. 

Aaron admits that the most difficult part of the job is when a student gets discharged. “Boys Home gives chances,” he says. However, when it is decided that a student should be discharged, he assists them while packing their bags, using that as an opportunity to encourage them about their future and the importance of making solid choices.

When asked what he wants for the students at Boys Home, Aaron doesn’t hesitate to answer, “To be able to leave here and be successful, but to also know how and when to ask for help. I want them to be someone who can cook, clean, and know how to work as part of a team. I want them to be independent and to be able to show what they’ve learned here.”

Aaron demonstrates teamwork himself by helping new students and staff acclimate to the environment on campus at Boys Home. Soon after he joined the staff, his grandfather died. When he talks about that personal experience, he says, “I see it as a family thing here at Boys Home. Everyone was there for me. Everyone showed me love and reading the books of Corinthians calmed me down.” Aaron clearly steps in to offer words of encouragement to both students and staff.

When asked how he stays so positive, Aaron simply explains, “I come to work and surround myself with good people.” In his spare time, it turns out that he continues to write music. And art? While he may not be a cartoonist, he pursues the art of growing boys into successful young men. Some would venture to say that his is art of a higher form.

Boys Home Hires Colleen Urffer

Boys Home of Virginia has hired Colleen Urffer in the Development Office.
Colleen grew up in Massachusetts, but spent several years working as a seasonal wildland firefighter in various parts of the country. More recently, she worked for Habitat for Humanity in Woodland Park, CO, where her husband worked as a wildland firefighter. This winter, the couple relocated to the Alleghany Highlands.

Colleen has a bachelor’s degree in International Relations at Boston University. She received her master’s degree at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, in Public Administration, and earned a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management.

Colleen first learned of Boys Home after moving to Lewisburg, West Virginia, a few months ago. She states, “I was looking for a job on the internet when I stumbled across Boys Home. The job seemed like a good fit with my experience, but I quickly learned that Boys Home is much more than just a job. Everyone has been so kind and welcoming. I enjoy being on the campus with the students and staff. Boys Home is just a cheerful place,” says Colleen with a smile. Colleen primarily will be involved with spearheading special events at Boys Home.

Boys Home Welcomes Pastor Anne Grizzle

Pastor Anne Grizzle has joined the staff of Boys Home of Virginia as Chaplain.
Anne grew up in Staunton, VA, and attended Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Growing up, she heard about Boys Home from her parents who were supporters.

Anne is a Harvard graduate where she studied Psychology. She earned a Masters in social work at Columbia University and has studied, practiced, and taught family therapy. She is also a spiritual director and retreat leader. Most recently, she attended Sewanee for theological studies and was ordained as Episcopal priest on Epiphany, 2018. Answering a question about why she chose ministry she stated, “This was a call from God after a time of prayer.”

When asked what she looks forward to most about working with Boys Home students she smiled warmly and said, “I look forward to getting to know them better and helping them grow in their faith, both individually and as a community.”

Danny Cale Honored for 15 Years of Service

Danny Cale was honored recently for 15 years of service to Boys Home of Virginia. Mr. Cale has been employed at Boys Home at other points in time, so his total service to Boys Home approaches nearly 22 years.

Originally from Baltimore, Mr. Cale’s mother moved the family to Covington after his father’s death. At that time, Danny was 14 years old. Upon his mother’s death, Mr. Cale came to live at Boys Home. He was 16 years old.

As an eighth-grade student, Mr. Cale was unable to write his name or read. The campus at that time housed 110 boys, compared to today’s average of 60. He arrived on campus with a speech impediment and a determination to find his way in his newfound surroundings. He became a proctor in his cottage, a position of responsibility and leadership. He learned to play chess from Business Manager W. T. (Bill) Toles and went on to participate in and win chess competitions. Travis J. Tysinger was the executive director at the time and Mr. Cale states that, “He was the first adult that I truly respected.” Mr. Tysinger became the first father figure Mr. Cale would encounter and even stood in as his best man when Mr. Cale later married Sandra, his high school sweetheart.

For two summers, Boys Home sent Mr. Cale to the Summer Literacy Program at the McGuffey Reading Center in Charlottesville. The center is and continues to be the oldest university-based reading center in the country. Mr. Cale, who had previously found many reasons to not attend school, was now ready to change that trajectory and began to apply himself to academic success. And succeed he did. He became an honor roll student and received academic awards at Boys Home.

After graduation from high school at twenty-one, he became the first of nine children in his family to attend college. Of that moment, he says, “No one was prouder than me when I stepped into my first college class.” It was during those years that he and Sandra decided to get married. They returned to Boys Home as a couple and became house parents, living on campus and impacting other young men who needed a second chance at success.

After a successful career with several companies, Mr. Cale decided to return to Boys Home. In his time here, he has been a house parent, support services coordinator, team leader, maintenance worker, and is currently the maintenance supervisor.

Mr. Cale talks about his legacy. “My legacy is me being able to talk to a young man at Boys Home and help him. My legacy is being able to give that young man a feeling of home. It’s what we can give to other people on this earth that really matters. That’s what really drives me—what I’ve done for other folks.”

Alumni of Boys Home have a motto: Few have lived as we. “That means a lot to me,” says Cale. “I would like to think that I am thought of by folks in a kind way.” Mr. Cale is a familiar face on campus, always ready to offer a kind word or say something that brings a smile to a coworker or student. In fact, it is entirely possible that he would even pause for a bit and teach a young man how to play some chess.

Kelley Calhoun Receives Recognition for 15 Years at Boys Home

Kelley Calhoun recently celebrated ten years of employment at Boys Home of Virginia. Associate Director Chad Whitmer and Boys Home School Principal Teresa Johnson presented her with a certificate in the dining hall to a standing ovation of students and staff.

Kelley has a bachelor’s degree from Bridgewater College in Psychology and Early Elementary Education. She also holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in Early Education from Hudson Valley Community College and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Paralegal Studies from the Junior College of Albany.

Kelley has held numerous teaching positions since coming to Boys Home. Currently, she teaches math to middle school residents. Knowing that math is a difficult subject for some, Kelley says, “Maybe my students won’t love math, but they’re going to understand it.” She goes on to explain that she was once frustrated by math, but once she started teaching it, “I realized that it was all logic.” That realization has impacted the way she teaches in her classroom.

Of working with the students at Boys Home, Kelley says that, “When you work with boys, you have to be persistent. The more persistent you are, the greater the blessings. At Boys Home, we pray that the seeds we plant will eventually start to grow and we pray that God will bless what we do and will work in the boys’ lives.”

Kelley’s husband, Dennis, is also an employee at Boys Home and Kelley is mother to teens C.J. and Chloe.