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Who Is Wildwood Hills Ranch? Wildwood Hills Ranch is a 400-acre non-profit facility, set in the scenic hills of Madison County, just south of Des Moines. Founded in 2001, the ranch exists to transform lives and strengthen communities by providing healing, hope, and God’s unconditional love to children and youth at-risk. Free summer camp and year-round retreats are offered to at-risk children ages 8 -18. Kids are immersed in a fun, safe environment where character, leadership, and teamwork are modeled and taught. The ranch is an ideal setting for children to learn new life skills and gain the confidence necessary to transcend current impoverished, abused, or neglected environments. Campers enjoy first-class facilities and recreational activities including horseback riding, water sports, team building, arts and crafts and much more. Most importantly, children are offered hope and love while being challenged to grow into people of integrity who contribute to the communities they live in. Who Does WWHR Serve? The children who participate in Ranch programs are currently suffering or are at-risk of physical and/or sexual abuse; neglect; parental drug and alcohol abuse; gang violence; instability in family relationships; absence of one or both parents; repeated or permanent out of home…
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- Bounceback Retreats
In addition to our summer camp programming, Bounceback Retreats are held throughout the school year. Youth are invited back to the Ranch to continue practicing their newly learned skills during these 1 to 2 day retreats. They provide the youth opportunities to build upon the positive summer experiences they have had at Wildwood Hills Ranch. Bouncebacks are also a time to reconnect with and encourage the children. They are another building block in our efforts to help children lay a better foundation to grow upon.
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Summer Program
Summer Program at Wildwood Hills Ranch is full of fun and excitement for the children that attend. The programs are split into 3 age groups: 8 to 12, 13 to 15, and 16 to 18.
Rancher Program for Ages 8 to 12
Summer Character and Leadership Program
This program is geared toward 8 to 12 year old at-risk children who will benefit from positive change of environment and a program that focuses on character, leadership and teamwork.
Devoted Team Leaders assist our youngsters as they participate in activities such as horseback riding, swimming, gardening, team building and art projects.
Children are surrounded by positive role models while being immersed in activities that are affirmative, instructional and fun.
Most importantly, our kids discover thier futures can be filled with much more hope and promise than their current circumstances deem possible.
Program for Ages 13 to 15
Leader in Training Program (LiT)
Our LiT program focuses on the using of 12 leadership skills that young people can use throughout their lives to help themselves and others identify and accomplish goals: Teamwork, Responsibility, Respect, Motivation, Listening, Planning, Initiative, Creativity, Persistence, Presenting, Problem Solving and Observation.
Leadership skills that will be learned can be used in all parts of life, including home, school, sports, youth groups, work and in the community.
Programming is about learning by doing, so participants learn these skills in a safe environment through a variety of fun and challenging activities, workshops and discussions.
This program is for young people who are highly motivated, ready to work and play hard and who demonstrate additional responsibility in accepting the challenges of leadership.
Unfortunately, we have a limited number of spaces in our program – not all that apply are accepted.
Young people interested in the program will fill out an application and be interviewed in person or by telephone.
They will also be asked to provide three references who will be asked to answer written questions about the applicant.
LiT’s must come for two weeks each summer for two summers and practice leadership skills in 8 areas of camp to graduate from the program.
Successful completion of the program does not guarantee participation in our Team Leader in Training Program (TLiT), however the 12 leadership skills are the foundation for the criteria that we choose the participants.
Program for Ages 16 to 18
Team Leader in Training Program (TLiT)
Much like our LiT program, our TLiT program focuses on developing leadership skills that young people can use throughout their lives to help themselves and others identify and accomplish goals. In addition the TLiT program helps young people learn how to effectively lead children. The 12 skills used to lead children are: Group Leadership, Game & Activity Leadership, Body Language, Enthusiasm, Communication, Developing Positive Behavior, Managing Undesired Behavior, Teaching, Teaching Responsibility & Problem Solving, Caring, Working Together, and Positive Learning
Leadership skills that will be learned can be used in all parts of life where there are children, as brothers and sisters, as teachers, as coaches and in the community.
The Program is about learning by doing, so participants learn these skills in a safe environment through a variety of fun and challenging activities, workshops and discussions.
This program is for young people who are highly motivated, ready to work and play hard and who demonstrate additional responsibility in accepting the challenges of youth leadership.
Unfortunately, we have a limited number of spaces in our program – not all that apply are accepted.
Young people interested in the program will fill out an application and be interviewed in person or by telephone. They will also be asked to provide three references who will be asked to answer written questions about the applicant.
TLiT’s can come up for 5 weeks each summer. Successful completion of the program does not guarantee participation with our paid staff, however the 12 leadership skills are the foundation of for the TLiT program, and is the criteria from which we choose our paid staff.
Click on the links below to fill out an application***
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