It looks like a barn from the outside, but on the inside it is a new $1.7 million education center for the girls at the Alpine Academy, a residential treatment facility in a family-style environment for struggling teen age girls in Erda.

The newly built Crocker Education Center will house five classrooms, office space for school administrators and staff, rooms for individual therapy, a library, and a lunchroom that doubles as a dance room. The classrooms have Internet access, and video projection is available for powerpoint presentations and movies. The new facility was named for Gary and Ann Crocker, who were major contributors to the academy. Gary Crocker also serves as chairman of the board for Utah Youth Village.

"The new facility will be the centerpiece and heart of our Alpine Academy campus," said Janet Mulitalo, academy director.

The new building was opened Nov. 3 to provide junior high and high school classes for the girls at the academy. It was built by Watt Construction and designed to look like a barn to fit the rural character of the neighborhood.

"We have really tried to make our facilities blend into the community," said Rebecca Heal, director of Development for Utah Youth Village, the parent company of Alpine Academy. "It's just like a traditional school."

The new center is the latest expansion for Alpine Academy, which now consists of five homes that house up to 10 girls each on 32 acres east of Droubay Road. The academy is designed for girls experiencing behavioral and psychological problems. The girls work on issues ranging from Tourettes Syndrome to Reactive Attachment Disorder, according to Mulitalo.

Prior to the completion of the education center, classes were held in the living rooms of the various homes. As time went on, it became evident that a separate facility was needed for classes and office space, said Heal.

There is another benefit in the new education center for the community too, according to Eric Bjorklund, president of Utah Youth Village. As part of a fire-safety feature for the school, 24,000 gallons of water storage was installed, along with an 8-inch water well that can pump 150 gallons per minute to refill the storage. The North Tooele Fire Department can use the water storage at the academy to replenish their trucks when fighting a fire anywhere in east Erda. Before the water storage was installed, the fire department had to refill its 1,000 gallon trucks in Stansbury Park, Bjorklund said.

The Alpine Academy opened in 2002 as Utah Youth Village's first private, paid residential treatment facility. At the time, Utah Youth Village had a 35-year history of providing treatment, largely in group homes, according to Heal.

"The girls who come to us have been through the wringer," said Mulitalo. "Many have been away from their families attending various programs for years. Eighty percent of our girls graduate from Alpine Academy, ready to resume a productive life with their families and friends."

tgillie@tooeletranscript.com