Medical and psychiatric care is ongoing for children at the Ranch. So is education. In the summer, education at Dakota Memorial School, our on-site school, takes on a different structure.
Part of the day is spent in SPARK. SPARK is run by our wellness team. These activities focus on life skills, extracurricular opportunities, social skills, and physical health. In short, it teaches children to play and work in healthy ways.
EMPOWER is the more directly educational component of the day. This is where students work on credit recovery work, which is especially critical for children who came to the Ranch before completing the school year. The classes are highly individualized and designed to identify and overcome obstacles where a child has been “stuck” in math, English, or the sciences. The children also have more opportunities for elective subjects and curriculum specific to their interests.
Matt is a new teacher who is with us for the summer. He teaches in public schools during the year, and wanted to spend his summer working with children where he could work more individually. On the first day in the classroom, Matt did an ice-breaker activity to get to know the kids and for them to get comfortable with him.
He said, “Write three 'appropriate' questions on three slips of paper and put them in this bag. I will shake them up and pull one out, and then we will each answer the question.”
The first couple of questions were not complicated… favorite food, favorite sports team.
The third question read, “If you could have anything in the world, what would you want?” The kids started to answer…
“To win the lottery!”
“To get a new Nintendo Switch!”
And then, from the youngest in the room, “I want a dad.”
Please keep the children and staff of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch in your prayers.
In His love,
Joy Ryan, President/CEO
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
Sign up today to receive ministry updates and stories about our precious kids directly to your inbox!