Mooseheart graduates must leave home as well as high school

Four years ago, no one who knew Jacob Stegeman would have predicted he would enter Purdue University's Calumet campus this fall.

But that's where the 2008 graduate of Mooseheart High School is heading.

Stegeman's background is not unique for a youngster entering Mooseheart Child City and School. All of the 250 children who presently call it home are there because their families can't care for them for a variety of reasons.

Stegeman was born in Illinois but moved to Washington state with his mother and ended up living on the streets of Seattle. He entered a foster home when he was 6. His maternal grandparents found him and adopted him, but one month later his mother was murdered.

As Stegeman grew older, his grandparents found it more difficult to control him. His school counselor considered him troubled and impulsive. Stegeman's family sent him to Mooseheart for the structure, support and education. He was not happy, but he entered Mooseheart four years ago.

On Saturday, he was the valedictorian of his 21-member graduating class. He also won the award for the outstanding English student.

"In four short years I have seen my classmates grow up," Stegeman said in his closing remarks at Mooseheart's 90th commencement. "And as I have matured we became family. Let's not forget where we came from.

"More than I can ever comprehend, this place became a home to me," Stegeman said. "My heart will never leave, even though I must."

After the ceremony, Stegeman said he came to consider Mooseheart home because "people shared their love and generosity with me."

His grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were on hand for his graduation, as was his younger sister, Anna, who came to live at Mooseheart a year ago.

The class salutatorian, Christopher Morones, came to Mooseheart as a baby 17 years ago.

"It is hard to believe that it will no longer be my home, but in my heart I know it will always be my home," Morones said in the welcoming address.

The graduation was attended by several hundred family, friends and members of Moose International, which supports Mooseheart. Eleven of the 21 graduating seniors came from Illinois, with the others coming from Iowa, Ohio, Florida, Oregon, New York and Massachusetts.

The 1,000-acre campus is just south of Batavia off Route 31.