Imagine, for a moment, you are in 6th grade about to head out on a field trip. While it’s always fun to get out of the classroom for a day, you know that not all field trips are made equal. You’ve gone to museums (“Boring”), the state capitol (“Why do we have to be so quiet?”), and the zoo (“Woulda been fun if the animals had actually been out that day”). But today you learn you are going to the greatest field trip location in the world: New Life Ranch!
Partnerships with schools play an integral role in New Life Ranch’s ministry. Each year, thousands of students descend on both Flint Valley and Frontier Cove for a time of experiential learning. Students love getting out of school and going to camp. Teachers love that we come alongside them to facilitate learning labs and activities. Parents love knowing their kids are going to a safe and trustworthy place.
Here are two examples of how schools partner with New Life Ranch to give their students a unique and fun learning opportunity:
Jenks Wild
Each fall, Jenks Public Schools brings over 1,000 sixth-grade students for their annual Jenks Wild camp. The New Life Ranch staff, alongside a host of teachers and parent volunteers, lead students through a multitude of adventures. Fishing, hiking, target sports, survival skills, and canoeing are just a few of the activities campers participate in. These labs teach kids things like perseverance, teamwork, and problem-solving. Yes, they can learn those things in a classroom, but there’s something special about being in a new environment that really makes things click. Andrea Bubert, the teaching and learning specialist at Jenks Intermediate, said
“It’s more than just a camp experience. Jenks Wild gives students a chance to see that they are more capable than they think, and that the world is a little bigger than they might have imagined.”
Pryor After-School Program
In 2019, Pryor Public Schools came to us with an idea. What if we created a partnership where Frontier Cove’s camp resources were shared with Pryor students during their after-school program? In the same way, our weekends are spent serving retreat groups, and our weekday afternoons are filled with local kids enjoying camp activities. Laura Holloway, the Afterschool & Wellness Director for Pryor Public School, loves the unique opportunities camp has to offer:
“We feel really blessed to come to such a beautiful, peaceful place where our students are free to roam and discover the opportunities that are provided for us there. We do a cross-country club, outdoor education club, and horse club. These are opportunities that would not be available if we couldn’t partner with New Life Ranch.”
If you work at a school, have a child in school, or know of a school that could benefit from coming out to camp, let us know! We love getting to serve teachers and students!
