Reaching for Potential

McCrossan Boys Ranch is giving second chances to boys who might otherwise not have as many opportunities as their peers.

Boys aged 9-20 come to live, work, and learn at McCrossan for a wide variety of reasons, but most commonly, they've been abused, neglected, or abandoned. The vast majority of the boys come from impoverished backgrounds, and many are the first in their families to graduate high school. "We don't give up on our boys," said Christy Vastenhout, McCrossan's chief development officer. "If they are able to be with us long enough, we will make sure they graduate."

The school and the ranch work harmoniously with each other. By combining a traditional school experience, a positive living situation, and the opportunity for hands-on skills building, McCrossan is creating opportunities for boys to thrive. The key to their unique success lies with the horses the ranch is known for.

"The horses are a core part of what we do," Vastenhout said. While every boy at the ranch gets to experience equine therapy, caring for and riding the horses is treated as a privilege and is many of the boys' most memorable experience of the ranch. “When I meet alumni, they will tell me about their favorite teacher, and in the same breath about their favorite horse," she said.

The McCrossan ranch is growing rapidly, thanks to wide community support of their Spur Success campaign. Expanded classroom spaces have recently been completed and construction projects for athletic facilities are ongoing. "We want the experience at McCrossan to be identical to a more traditional public school," said Vastenhout.

"Our boys deserve all the same opportunities that they would have been afforded at other schools."

The new school space will immediately be filled with activity, including many new opportunities. Thanks in part to a grant from the Community Foundation, the art and English programs are gearing up with additional equipment to provide expanded opportunities such as pottery classes and more creative literature experiences. "Our teachers are used to dealing with hand-me-downs because there is never enough funding. So, we asked them to create a wish list of what they would need to best teach their classes," Vastenhout said. "It was so wonderful to tell them that they got everything they wished for."

McCrossan believes that the boys they serve deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential. That the disadvantages of their upbringing shouldn't define them, and the chance to rise above should be available. They equip their boys with the tools to succeed in life, and many go on to pursue higher education or otherwise break the molds cast by their circumstances. "When I look at these young men," Vastenhout said, "I see hope."

Learn about all the grants from the Community Fund over the past year.