October 19, 2006 Issue                                       

Click Here

©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Flourtown ‘angel’ helps children with problems ‘you can’t imagine’
by LOU PERSEGHIN

Donna Carson is an angel to the kids at Carson Valley School in Flourtown. (Photo by Lou Perseghin).

Donna Cogan, 64, is intensity personified. Since she can remember, Cogan has relied on what she considers a universal truth: that we are all part of a common humanity, and all the other things in life, possessions, titles, etc. are superfluous. Her work has taken her to many jobs, and has ultimately led her to the Carson Valley School in Flourtown, where she has worked for six years in the Office of Agency Advancement.

Carson, as Cogan explains, is an alternative school in the sense that “we have children who have not been able to make it at other places.” Carson’s nearly 100 students, ranging from 11 to 18, come from home lives marred with tragedy, abuse and neglect. Without the school’s intervention, their tenuous families would likely fall apart.

“We have people who grew up in circumstances you can’t imagine,” said the Flourtown resident, “and we try to help them become more in the mainstream, but it isn’t easy.”

Cogan came to Carson after 13 years at Lincoln Academy (Bridgeport), 10 as a guidance counselor and three as an English teacher. It hasn’t been the job that has kept her in the education system, though; it’s the compassion that drives her, and the hope that through her work, people will begin to share that sentiment.

During her high school years at a private girls’ academy in New Jersey, Cogan came to the understanding that for many, money is the best judge of character. Notions like these are what stir Cogan to action.

“To judge someone on what they have is so stupid, and I knew that as a child,” said Cogan. “I think many middle and upper middle class people don’t see kids in our situation as fellow travelers in humanity; they see them as different people, like they’re not even on the same planet … We’re talking about kids who don’t have anything, not even families.”

One of the primary goals of the Carson Valley School is to re-unite families and work out problems in the children’s lives. For many of the kids at Carson, the reality of a stable family life is foreign.

“Their circumstances don’t lend themselves to hope,” said Cogan, “and [hope] is what we try to instill in them.”

At the end of her time at Lincoln, Cogan decided she was looking for something different that could help her focus on her writing skills. She heard about the position at Carson Valley through her husband Pete, 68, who had connections at Carson. Her whole-hearted altruism fit perfectly with the school’s mission, and the position suited her desire for a change of pace.

“I do the publicity and PR,” said Cogan. “I take photographs and write articles about what’s going on. What I want to do with my writing is expose people to why their taxes are so important for social welfare programs.” For taxpayers it’s either pay for these schools or pay for prisons, and Cogan would much rather see the former.

“It’s only because of pure luck that you’re not in the same boat these kids are,” said Cogan.

Because of budget cuts in social welfare, or entitlement, programs, volunteers are always welcome at Carson. Cogan pointed out that it is not an easy task to mesh with students who may not have learned civility at home, a fact she tries to instill in volunteers. She tells the story of a volunteer who came in to throw birthday parties for the kids, who otherwise may not have had the opportunity. Generally Cogan is around for these parties, reminding kids to say thank you and exercise civility. On one occasion she was absent, and received an e-mail from the volunteer regarding the rudeness and seeming ungratefulness of the students.

“We have people who volunteer,” said Cogan, “and they have to understand the nature of the relationships. Those people didn’t see the kids with their humanity; they saw them as all the same … They’re the kind of kids who will be likely to remember their positive experiences with people, so it’s that much more important.”

While Cogan enjoys her job, she has been thinking about her future lately, and what retirement might hold in terms of her writing. Though she isn’t sure which direction she will take, it is certain that the convictions she has held throughout her career will not be left at Carson.

“I just really like people,” said Cogan. “I’m am idealist more than anything else. I see the humanity in them; they’re people, and because of that they’re precious.”

For more information about Carson Valley School and its programs, call Clare Strenger at 215 233-1960, ext. 210, or visit www.carsonvalleyschool.org.