From 1970 to 1976, a small residential community located in the Maine woods was home to an assortment of teenagers (some delinquent, others that were actively seeking a novel learning experience) with a small, paid staff of idealistic young adults to serve as mentors and role models. They lived year-round without electricity or flush toilets in teepees and rustic hand-built cabins.In addition to spending their days rolling cigarettes, reading books, cooking, making music, and chopping wood, they hiked the Appalachian Trail in all seasons. This was the “Redington Pond School – the non-school, the alternative educational experience.” These compelling life stories and vivid memories, sometimes raw, often amusing, trace the profound affect this intense community experience had on the lives of students and staff alike. The lessons learned are still relevant today, showing that it is possible to dramatically alter the life course of troubled teens towards a successful and fulfilling engagement in their life and community.