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Dozens of sheep, goats and pigs make gentle grunts under the big barn. Kids busily water, brush and walk their animals; it’s only seven in the morning at The Ranches, but the residents are well into their morning chores.
The Ranches is an at-risk youth residential family-style program in northern Socorro County, dedicated to helping kids from all over the country find hope. The program was established in August 1944, making this month its 80th anniversary.
“(The Ranches) was a response to World War II and the boys who were left fatherless after the war, so it was an option for moms who were struggling to raise teenage boys,” Mikela Kull, Ranches president, said, “It evolved and girls were added in the 80s. It’s kind of interesting because up until that point, it was not a common belief that girls could have problems in the same way that boys could.”
Funded entirely by private donations, she said countless children have benefited from their time there. The property sits on over 2,000 acres, with about 10 acres dedicated to their campus, including housing and animal accommodations.
At The Ranches, kids aged 12 to 18 get an opportunity to catch up in school and work through some of the challenges and circumstances they face at home. Kull said many kids come to them several grades behind, so they give them access to high-quality teachers and an online program to get them back on track. The kids are also offered a supportive environment to encourage emotional growth and self-awareness.
“The goal is always to reintegrate them back to their families and get them both to a place where their relationship is healthy enough to support them being back in the home. If that’s not the case, then we work with the kids to figure out what the best option is for them to succeed moving forward and moving into adulthood.” Kull said
The power of 4-H
One of their program’s highlights and essential elements is the residents’ involvement with 4-H. With the county fair right around the corner, the kids are hyper-focused on preparing their animals for show.
It’s 17-year-old, Jeremiah’s third year doing 4-H at the Ranches. This year, he’s hopeful he has it right. The first year, the judges told him his lamb was too fat, and the second year, it had too much muscle, but he feels confident this time around. He admits that he didn’t have a lot of patience when he first started 4-H, but with his daily interactions working with the animals, he has learned the importance of patience. He has even translated his new skills to working with others and is gaining a better sense of teamwork.
This is Sergio’s first time doing 4-H, and coming from a city background, he initially felt out of his element, but the 16-year-old has shown dedication in learning how to handle the animals. He recognizes now how the animals respond to his energy and has become more aware of it while he’s handling them. He thought coming to the Ranches would be a punishment but has instead found a sense of purpose and family.
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Logan is clear that working with animals is very challenging but said it’s been a rewarding experience. The 16-year-old would rather take his time and do things thoroughly and right the first time. He said they all work together to hold each other accountable to high standards. Also, if someone is sick or needs help, everyone pitches in to help with their animal.
Jeraslyne is 17-years-old and thinking about her future beyond the Ranches, but still hopes to have one more season of 4-H next year before she turns 18. It hasn’t always been easy to hear feedback from the judges, but she has learned to pick herself back up and keep trying. Over her three years and personal growth, she has taken a leadership role among the residents. She plans on attending college to become a Crime Scene Investigator to help families.
Cohen, 12-years-old and Chloe, 15- years-old also live at the Ranches as kids of the parents that work there. Both love raising their animals and have their hands full for the upcoming fair. They do their best to make residents feel welcome and help them with raising animals. They said they have made a lot of good memories; ironically, most of the best times were when things have gone sideways, and they must work together to find solutions.
One thing all the kids agreed on was that Kensi Yoakum, administrator of Programs at the Ranches, always tries to make things hands-on and fun.
Yoakum beams with pride when she talks about each of the kids, their accomplishments, talents, and even their challenges. With 4-H, she is very competitive and encourages the spirit of pushing each other forward. But it’s not just about winning awards for her; the real accomplishment is seeing the kids’ growth. She is especially proud when they are recognized for their respectful behavior towards the judges.
Kull said the 4-H aspect of the Ranches program is about learning responsibility, caring for others, and being able to work all the way through a project, from start to finish.
“They show their animal, and getting to see the full process of taking it to fair and being able to show it and show off their hard work,” Kull said “Ideally, sometimes they get to make it to auction, and that money that they get goes directly into an account for them, so that they have money when they leave to be able to kind of come away from our program with a head start on whatever it is. If they want to buy a car or use it for rent, if they’re 18 and they’re moving somewhere, they have something to start with,” Kull said.
All residents are required to try 4-H once, and it’s rare for a resident not to love it. Hull said for residents coming from the city, it’s often the first time they’ve interacted with animals, and even though at first, they might think it’s gross or smelly, they almost always end up falling in love with the animals.
How it works
The residents come to them from CYFD referrals or private placements from caregivers. Kids come from all over the United States. Hull said they even had one kid from out of the country, but most kids are from New Mexico.
“There is a greater need, and sometimes, we’re not at full capacity currently, but as we get more referrals. The referrals kind of come and go throughout the year, depending on the circumstances. So you see a lot when we’re starting to go into summer, and then we see a little bit more halfway through the first semester of the school year, when parents are struggling because their kids aren’t going to school, or they’re having trouble at school, or they’re not they’re not able to keep up with the curriculum that they’re being taught initially in the first semester,” Kull said.
The average resident stays between 12 and 18 months. They have four cottages, with a current capacity of 38 residents. Another cottage is being built, which will allow room for 10 more kids.
Their staff consists of two teachers, house parents, associate house parents and administrators to run their central office.
“We have both house parents, which is the couples that live in the cottage with the residents and are with them for ten days out of every two weeks. And then we have associate house parents, which come on for the weekend that the house parents are off, and so they’re with them for four days out of every 10 days.” Kull said
She said the family-style setup allows for a consistent and supportive environment for the residents.
“Our goal is to always be able to help those families and the kids, to be able to have the brightest future possible for them and to kind of foster their talents and their gifts that they already have and help them find their way moving forward,” Kull said.
Kull has no idea how many kids have gone through the ranches over the years but when it comes to success stories, she said it would take all day to tell them. Many of the former residents have gone on to do amazing things.
“It’s cool, because when they’re in our program, we get to see a lot of their personality and what makes them special, and to see that they’ve found their place in the world where other people can appreciate that is always really encouraging,” Kull said “They’re great kids. And I think sometimes the idea of them being in a program kind of makes it seem like they’re not good kids, but they’re great kids; they just need a second shot.”
