REEDLEY, Calif., June 29 (UPI) -- A boarding school for obese teens will open in September near the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, USA Today reported Tuesday.
Located on 68 acres near Yosemite National Park, the Academy of the Sierras will accept as many as 70 youth ages 13-18 who are at least 30 pounds overweight.
Students will receive behavioral therapy, a reduced-calorie diet and access to a wide range of activities, including mountain biking, golfing and canoeing.
School officials are seeking state academic accreditation for the facility. It is being established by the Aspen Education Group, which has 15 therapeutic boarding schools for students struggling with issues such as learning disabilities and substance abuse and eight outdoor programs, including two for overweight kids.
The college prep school, which seeks state accreditation, costs $4,000 to $5,000 per month.
Students will wear pedometers with the goal of walking 10,000 steps a day. The only TV kids may watch for an extended period is in the fitness center.
Students will meet four times a week with a behavioral psychologist, twice individually and twice in a group setting.
