Blog

“This place is amazing. My son spent four months at the Ranch in Fargo and is a completely different kid. He still struggles but he is more self-motivated and succeeding at Dakota Memorial School. Had I not made this heartbreaking…

No matter how difficult things are at home, driving away from the Ranch without your child is not easy. “It was scary taking that leap of faith. We didn’t know what to expect, and as we drove away, my mom…

“You can’t fail unless you quit.” Abraham Lincoln “Failure isn’t failure unless you quit.” Former Ranch resident and Dakota Memorial School Graduate This is the season of graduations, and that is true at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch as well….

While Don and Arlene Schumacher don’t know exactly how they learned about Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, they assume it was through their church, Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, MN. They joined Our Saviors shortly after moving to Hutchinson…

At 18 years old, Jules is living with a good family, on track to graduate from high school, and hopeful about her future. But, while she is in a good place in her life now, the road has been difficult….

Small acts of kindness like showing customers fabric measurements or offering people carts when their hands are full, bring Bonnie Ackerman the most joy. “When somebody tells me thank you, it makes me feel so good to know I helped…

When I met Clay* six years ago, he gave me a tour of his classroom at Dakota Memorial School on the Minot Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch campus. Because of his autism and other challenges, his movements were jerky and…

Dakota Memorial School (DMS), the on-campus school of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, is specially designed for children with trauma histories. One of the unique elements of the school is that children transfer in and out of the school in the…

Al and Johnne Bierdeman both come from humble beginnings in rural North Dakota. Johnne grew up in Dickey, ND, where her parents both worked at the bank. Al was born and raised on a family farm near Sykeston, ND, and…

We can probably all agree that going to school is important. In addition to reading, writing, and arithmetic, students learn how to make friends, work together, think critically, set goals, and solve problems. School gives kids a community—a place to…

“I couldn’t control my anger at all, and it was a very hard thing to deal with,” Paytin said. “It’s kind of like stopping a wave of water that is just too heavy to stop. Instead of redirecting it like…

Shanaye didn’t experience much safety in her childhood—either at home or at school. “Until my dad moved out, home was a really hostile and scary place,” Shanaye said. “I was abused by my father for a good portion of my…

For several years, Dakota Memorial School has been creating a program that gives students opportunities to learn important social skills, build relationships with their teachers and peers, and obtain the knowledge and skills they need to transition back to public school or…

Meagan Gelinske comes from a generous family, and the importance of giving back was instilled in her at an early age. “I learned early on to share what I had. Several of my family members are very generous and I…

“I never thought I’d really be able to tell the stories that are in my imagination.” That was the excitedly delivered message from one of our high school art students as he presented his work to a group of Ranch employees….

The Kingstad Family Endowment Lorens and Mabel Kingstad were hardworking children of immigrants who grew up during the Depression and the Dirty Thirties. According to their children, Tim Kingstad and Naomi Kingstad Murphy, they lived simple, frugal, and humble lives…

At Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, we spend a lot of time getting the kids outside and into nature. That is intentional—because spending time in nature is healing, leading to higher levels of happiness and well-being. Referencing a study published this…

All the kids at the Ranch live in group settings. They all have their own rooms and opportunities for quiet time. They share common areas where they do crafts, study, play cards and games, watch television, etc. Of course, we…

On March 30, 2011, Lola Vulles walked to her mailbox in a small town in Montana. As she flipped through the mail, she saw a letter from an oil company. “I was curious to see what they wanted so I…

Jim and Elaine Rider are spending their retirement years joyfully serving others. One of their endeavors is making fleece neck warmers to donate to veteran’s organizations, homeless shelters, and the kids at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. It all started when…

Rev. Keith Smith had a plan—to finish high school and then go to college. But that’s where the plan ended. “I got the college degree and then the rest of the pages were blank. My script didn’t go any further,”…

When Rev. Keith and Denise Less learned about Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch at a North American Lutheran Church national convention, they were drawn to the ministry because of the similarity between Keith’s background and that of many of the Ranch kids….

“You remind me of Rosa Parks. Have a good day, Ma’am.” Hmmm. When I write these weekly emails, I really try to convey the heart of the Ranch, or a sense of God’s work, or somehow show you how truly precious…

We started a new tradition on our Minot, ND, campus. The Saturday before Mother’s Day is “GROW Day,” or “God Rewards Our Work Day.” It is in its third year, and is fast becoming a favorite. During the spring semester, students in…