Beneath the cap

Thomas is a taller-than-average 17-year-old with brown hair you rarely see because it is hidden under a baseball cap. He is friendly, calm, and a devoted Philadelphia Eagles fan. He is easy to like and has befriended nearly everyone on campus.

This is not the same kid who came to the Ranch—the kid who suffered from severe mood swings that took him from calm to Rage in minutes. His mother, Bre, said he was kicked out of several schools. At one school, he was there for just 28 minutes before they asked him to leave. They were working with a doctor who had tried many approaches to stabilize Thomas’ mood swings, but nothing worked.

Bre was desperate to get Thomas the help he needed, so when the doctor said, “You may not like this option, but Thomas needs residential care,” she was open to the idea.

Three years ago, Bre made one of the most challenging decisions a parent can make. She applied for Thomas to be admitted to the Ranch’s Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility, and his application was approved.

“I used to get mad a lot,” Thomas said. “Then, one day, my mom had enough, and she told me she was taking me for treatment.”

Bre recalled how difficult it was to drop him off on the day he was admitted.

“It was so hard to know he’d be alone,” she said. “I was crying in the parking lot.”

While Bre sat in her car in the parking lot, Thomas was inside the building, angry and wanting to flee.

“I thought [treatment at the Ranch] would be worse than it was, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t fun, but I made it through,” Thomas said.

At the Ranch, Thomas found the support and tools he needed to manage his emotions. His attitude changed and his anger slowly subsided.

After six months of treatment, Thomas was discharged from the Ranch, with the expectation that he would return to his home school the following Monday.

Thomas’ school wanted him to succeed, but quickly realized they could not provide the structure he had received at Dakota Memorial School (DMS), the Ranch’s on-campus school—structure that was necessary for his continued educational success. With a few quick phone calls, the two schools and his family decided the best option for Thomas was to return to DMS as a day student.

That wouldn’t be easy. It wasn’t because he didn’t want to go, but because he lived 100 miles away, which meant a 200-mile round trip in North Dakota, every day, no matter the weather!

“[DMS Principal] Shayla Leinen was an angel from God,” Bre said. “She helped us figure out the logistics and soon Thomas was making the commute to DMS. It was wonderful. For the first time, Thomas actually wanted to go to school, and he is thriving. Instead of flunking out, he will graduate early!”

Now, Thomas enjoys school and has made many happy memories. His favorite memory from the Ranch was attending a RedHawks baseball game. Thomas’ favorite subject is English, and he was surprised to even enjoy reading Shakespeare.

One of his favorite teachers, Dan Kelly, said, “When Thomas came to my English class the first time, he was unwilling to read or write and now he excels in both of those areas. Thomas is consistently one of my hardest workers, and he is a role model to the other students.”

Thomas also has an on-campus job in the kitchen, where he earns class credit and learns valuable skills—like teamwork, following directions, and how to get along with people.

After learning how to manage his emotions, one of the most important things Thomas learned at DMS was that he is smart. Everyone in his previous schools were so focused on his behaviors that they didn’t have time to recognize and nurture his intelligence.

Buoyed by this new self-confidence, Thomas put in the time and effort it took to graduate. In May, Thomas will replace his baseball cap with a graduation cap and receive his high school diploma. He will be surrounded by family, friends, and teachers, who are all so proud of how far he’s come.

For kids like Thomas, who have overcome so much, high school graduation is a big deal, and it is worth celebrating. Many children who attend Dakota Memorial School go back to their home school for graduation. Thomas chooses to celebrate at the Ranch. So, we will celebrate! Come May, Thomas will have a classic graduation ceremony complete with streamers and decorations, “the walk” into the gym to “Pomp and Circumstance,” and long-stemmed roses to give to his family and favorite teachers. He will be surrounded by the family, teachers, therapists, and staff who helped make this day possible.

As Thomas leaves the Ranch for a new chapter of life, he plans to join the military or find a construction job. And he enters this new chapter with confidence.

“I’m a completely changed person,” Thomas said.