Boys Home of Virginia: 120 Years In, the Mission Hasn’t Changed

I recently sat down with Laura Costigan, the Manager of Donor Relations at Boys Home of Virginia, to talk about what’s happening on their campus in Covington and their upcoming spring open house on April 25th.

“We want to help each young man that comes to Boys Home become a productive member of society by developing them mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. That’s what we’ve been doing since 1906,” Laura told me. Boys Home has been around since 1906 — 120 years this year.

She didn’t oversell it. “I would argue that mission is still as relevant — if not even more important today — with what our youth are facing. There are many young men who would truly benefit from the opportunity that we have at Boys Home.”

A Residential Community

Boys Home is not a day program. The young men who come there live there, on 1,200 acres in the Alleghany Highlands outside Covington. Laura was direct about what that environment looks like day to day.

“There’s a strong sense of community. The young men that come here, they live on the hill. They’re going to be surrounded by a very loving and caring staff — they’re the best for these young men.”
She was also honest that it’s not all structured time. “There’s a lot of discipline in our program, but there are fun elements too. I was just at a soccer game last night and we ended up winning. Seeing the excitement after winning — that hard work pays off.”

Boys Home serves young men in grades 6 through 12 from across the country on a rolling admissions basis. The program is tuition free.

Their Own School

Boys Home established its own private school in 2018 — now in its eighth year. The school serves grades 6 through 12 and is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools.
The thing Laura kept coming back to was class size. Their current teacher-to-student ratio is 5 to 1, and they’re committed to never exceeding 8 to 1.
“Think about, even for yourself, how you may have benefited from being in that small class where if you needed a little extra help or some time with the teacher, that’s a lot easier with 8 students than in a classroom of 30.”

Trades on Campus

There’s a full trades building on the Boys Home campus, and it’s part of the regular curriculum. They brought in a new instructor this year, Jody Eggelston. “He’s doing incredible work with those young men,” Laura said.

The program has partnerships with Mountain Gateway Community College in Clifton Forge and with Job Corps. “They’re ready, while they’re at Boys Home, to go on to Mountain Gateway or to go directly into a trade program. That’s what they’re learning in that classroom.”

Open House: April 25

Boys Home is hosting a Spring Open House and Community Day on Saturday, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Laura described what to expect: “It’s gonna be a really lively, fun day on campus. It is a family-friendly event. You’re going to have the opportunity to dunk a police officer, a youth pastor — some really fun people.” Lunch runs from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with cotton candy, snow cones, and popcorn available throughout the day.

For anyone considering Boys Home for a young man they know, there are admissions presentations at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. “I think that’s a great opportunity if there’s a listener who’s thinking, ‘I know of a young man who might be a good fit for Boys Home.’ This is going to be a great day to come, where the admissions team is going to give a presentation and then there’s going to be an opportunity to ask questions.”

If April 25 doesn’t work, Laura said she’s happy to arrange a visit another time. “I would love to host you, give you a tour — we could see you for lunch then too.”

More Information

Website: boyshomeofva.org
Contact Laura Costigan: lrcostigan@boyshomeofva.org | 540.965.7703

Boys Home Spring Open House and Community Day — Saturday, April 25, 2026, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Covington, Virginia. Free and open to the public.