The students are headed to the airport now.  We hope they had a great trip – they all will be missed!

Here are a few last photos from yesterday.

Wednesday we did some group presentations and then work projects after lunch.  It’s hard to believe that Thursday is our last full day here!

Tuesday we had some special morning activities!

After breakfast we loaded the vans and went to college!

We had a great tour and all of our questions were answered!

We had a great start to the week today. The weather was awesome and we got to get outside and soak up the sun! Some of us even ventured down to the volleyball and basketball courts for a little friendly competition.

Here is what one student had to say about today:

This morning after breakfast we did check-ins. We then did an activity where we all got to anonymously show gratitude and appreciation to everyone. After a delicious lunch, we did work projects. We then did skits about what we learned. Then a dinner of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and veggies. (P.S. Hi Mom!) — Isabella Dobin

Friday morning we went on a short hike, just to explore the area around the Ranch.

Then we had some more work projects at the Barn.

Some of us had work projects in the kitchen!

Saturday we played some games!

Sunday we went on another hike!

Overall it was a great weekend!

Just a note, we don’t blog over the weekends here at the Ranch, but make sure to check back Monday afternoon for a few updates and photos from Saturday and Sunday. Over the weekend, the students get to sleep in and take a break from the academics. Some students will have a chance to horseback ride and everyone will get to go on a hike on Sunday afternoon!

Thursday was another beautiful day at the Ranch! It started to warm up and melt some of the snow we had earlier in the week. Here are some highlights!

At the barn on Thursday the students had a chance to work directly with the horses, including learning how to brush and tack a horse!

Here is what one student had to say about Thursday:

Me and my squad are always on the move, getting things done, having a great time, and making each other laugh. We went down to the barn today to feed the horses in the morning. I made a horse sound with my mouth and the horse responded. I think I’m a horse whisperer. — Marcus Chavez

Here are some photos from the last couple of days; starting with where our journey began (the airport) and where we are now (loving the Ranch)!

Arrived at the Ranch, getting to know each others and the RAs.

The morning view!

Games after breakfast.

Helping put the clean dishes away.

Academics time!

Enjoying the snow!

Learning to work together.

Spending some time at the barn; meeting Picchu the alpaca and Faith, one of the horses.

Hanging out after dinner

 

We made it safely to the Ranch last night! We were greeted by some snow and rice krispies treats! We’ve had a chance to meet all the Ranch staff and learn some of the rules and expectations. We got a good night’s sleep and this morning we had a hot breakfast.  The rest of our day will be spent doing some academics, including spending a lot of time at the barn meeting all the Ranch animals!

Check back tomorrow for a bunch of photos from today’s activities!

Here are some of the things our students had to say about today:

We did rotations between learning about the horses, completing packets, and doing group games. — Chloe Clark

All the RAs are amazing and terribly nice. We couldn’t have been better taken care of. The rooms are comfortable and the views are just breathtaking. Food here is absolutely delicious. We had three groups today and three different activities. We all got a chance to do everything. We got to meet all the animals. We also had games that helped us get to know each other and open up. Yes some things were personal, but that was by choice. — Karla Pardo

At the ranch it’s a constant flurry of activity. We’re learning more about nature, ourselves, and the people around us. But there is something that always stays the same here. We’re all friends in these mountains. — Luis Romero