Dakota Memorial School teachers and staff have specialized training in teaching children who have experienced significant trauma. I am always amazed at the ability of these wonderful people to teach very rigorous curriculums, the same requirements as any accredited school district, to students who have been largely labeled as “unteachable.”…
Services for Kids
One of the things I love about working at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch is the daily devotions shared by Chaplain Rick Jones. Chaplain Rick works with our kids and our staff and knows so well the challenges and weight carried by each. His devotions beautifully connect the work of the Ranch to Scripture.…
Sometimes people don’t believe me when I explain that everyone at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch is part of the children’s healing. It is obvious that the doctors and therapists and nurses and residential treatment specialists and teachers and everyone who works directly with the kids make an impact. But, it goes so much deeper than that.…
When a child leaves the Ranch, it has become a tradition for the Case Manager to write a short paragraph about the child’s healing to share with all staff. It is great to have everyone celebrate these kids, and sharing these successes can be very helpful in making it through a tough day – this isn’t easy work.…
Yesterday I was walking through one of our school buildings. Coming toward me was one of our middle school children. He is about as cute a kid as you can imagine. Lots of curly hair. Bright smile. Loves his stocking caps.…
When children come into our care we get lots of medical and school and other official information about them. Knowing their history helps us know how to approach and treat each child.…
He faced his emotions and learned that he is surrounded by kind people… like Tammy and Jordan and Marcia and Shayla and his mom and all those who showed love and compassion when he most needed it.…
The children who come to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch have a lot to overcome. Their trauma histories are complicated and they have not had a lot of people believe in them. When we work toward our mission, “to help at-risk children and their families succeed in the name of Christ,” we must always keep in mind that success is different for each child.…
“Hey Joy, have you ever been a model?” The teenage girl was sitting at a table in the nutrition center with her lunch while I was going through the food line. To say I guffawed loudly is accurate.…
Sometimes I come across a thought or a statement I want to share with you, but I can't figure out why it seems important. I’ve been pondering this one for several weeks. “The Ranch and the people who work here are my safe space.”…
In early November the Boards of Directors of our three Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch organizations met on our Fargo Campus. It is always a blessing to have these remarkable people donate their time to govern and inspire us in the pursuit of our mission, “to help at-risk children and their families succeed in the name of Christ.”…
On one of our campuses, program staff decided to try a Secret Santa gift exchange with the kids. Remember, these kids are in psychiatric treatment recovering from difficult traumas. Empathy is one of the skills they work to develop. They have struggled so hard to protect themselves, that learning to think about what makes others happy is a big step forward.…
Kids who come to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch have had to protect themselves. They have had to be smart and focused on doing what they could for themselves. Sometimes that extends to siblings or other family members who share their trauma. They don’t often have the chance to learn about caring for a broader circle, or the “greater good.” At the Ranch, we give them those opportunities.…
I have said it many times and mean it more each time. Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch employs the very best people I have ever worked with. It is an honor to work beside them. Please keep them and Ranch kids in your prayers.…
As it is for any of us, things get in the way of our kids reaching their goals. Our children struggle with the memories of their trauma, or with outside pressures when they leave our care. But, once they make that commitment, their resilience and stamina to persevere are powerful.…
At the Ranch, we try very hard this time of year to create some of those memories for these precious children. Because of the support of wonderful donors, we have a robust Spiritual Life component to our work, and during this time of year, it shines so brightly!…
Every child who comes to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch has had a different experience with God, religion, and their own faith. Each child will take their own steps while they are with us. Some will be revelatory, and some will be questioning.…
At a recent assembly on our Minot Campus, a lean, handsome, well-spoken teenage boy stood up to speak. Knowing his back story of abandonment and abuse, I know he has challenged himself to see the best in the world, and that afternoon he showed us how far he has come.…
Rev. Rick Jones, our Chaplain and Vice President of Spiritual Life, shares a daily devotion with those of us who work at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. Having grown up on a farm, one of his recent devotions really resonated with me so I wanted to share it with you. As my dad used to say, “Every living thing will respond to love.”…
This Thanksgiving, I have so much to be thankful for. The family I come from truly loved each other. My parents gave us an unshakeable foundation on which to build our lives. The family God blessed my husband and me with is a constant source of warmth. We have kind, good children. They have wonderful people in their lives, and the grandchildren…oh, the grandchildren. They could be a month’s worth of emails.…
"It's a God thing." That's what several of my good friends say when there is an unexplained "coincidence" that sort of sets the world right. Little, quiet, daily miracles that may or may not be happenstance. But, since He is in charge of everything, we give Him the glory.…
Each of the three campuses of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch has different traditions and events that have evolved over the years we’ve been helping kids and families. One of my favorites is the intermittent Talent Show held on the Minot Campus. It gives the kids and staff a chance to be brave and sing or dance or speak or share. It gives the kids one more way to move closer to finding their best selves.…
When a child is new to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, the staff share a little about them so they are aware of possible conversations or situations that may trigger negative behaviors. We focus on their strengths and how we can give them every opportunity to see they can succeed and be their best selves.…
I was recently visiting with a teenage boy who is in our care. He has been in some form of foster care his entire life. Some families have been good. Some of his families have been, in his words, “really, really wrong.” He gets mad sometimes, but most of the time he likes people. His favorite animals are dogs, and horses are next.…
On this fall day, I look out my window to see Ranch kids playing flag football. The teams are co-ed and the kids appear to be enjoying a great deal of laughter. The gym teacher on the Fargo Ranch campus is a former Division I college football player. The kids listen to him, and they get great exercise.…