Old West Academy

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STRIVE STUDY ACHIEVE

Old West Academy provides an excellent opportunity for boys & girls ages 7-14 to learn discipline, respect, appreciation, and work skills by assisting with ranch duties in a beautiful and peaceful environment. Old West Academy teaches " Old Time " values such as honesty, accountability, integrity, finishing a job, kindness, personal respect, respect for others and thoughtfulness, etc. Just a few decades ago a higher percentage of children grew up and worked on the family farm or ranch. Children in this environment had less behavioral and attitude problems than teens of today. They also learned the value of hard work, how to take directions, importance of working together, and the value of contributing to those around them. As a result, children thought less about immediate gratification and more about others. Children went to bed tired but fulfilled instead of bored and restless for excitement or even trouble. Children were more responsible and dependable and less defiant and rebellious. These are all the things that a ranch environment can help instill in teens.

Old West Students may have an opportunity to care for cows, sheep, horses, goats, cats and dogs in addition to haying, building fence, and other daily duties. They may even experience calfing or lambing. They can earn the privilege of riding horses as part of their ranch duties. Their insight, awareness and perspective will be broadened while participating in these once in a lifetime activities. This is an experience that will never be forgotten.

This may be just the experience your child needs to change their life forever.

Key Details

Program is for Boys & Girls ages, 7 to 14

Ranch activities and daily chores during the day ( morning and afternoon )

Study Skills in the evening

Recreation as appropriate

Time Period: Open enrollment.

Education

Old West Academy is a licensed theraputic boarding school, and we understand the importance of a education in the lives of young people. Schooling is done on an independent basis in a classroom setting. The Calvert School and Oak Meadows School curriculum and lessons are used. Oak Meadow School is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation, assuring that your student's work will be accepted by schools around the world.

Each student is self-paced and monitored by on-site teachers. Students also have physical education classes and reading time throughout the day. Students have access to a full sized gym and 3000 acres for physical education classes as well as for recreation.

During the summer months students participate in musical sessions, horsemanship classes, and many other fun activities. In horsemanship students learn how to develop good relationship skills: honesty, trust, consistency. Students have the opportunity to play games, sing songs, go on sleigh rides with family and friends during the Old Fashion Christmas.

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."

- John Dewey

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Feeding sheep

Gym

Lambs

lawn

Special Activities

Special activities are on going and year round on the ranch. Students are allowed all their earned activities, plus several activities that are unique to our area.

Some of these activities include snow tubing, water skiing, snow skiing, snow boarding, swimming, hiking, ice skating, boating, ice hockey, and horseback riding.

In addition to these activities, our students are involved in helping with ranch responsibilities.

Learn more about the working ranch!

Summer Program

A Working Ranch

Caring For Animals

Students learn teamwork and accountabilty as they work together to perform tasks necessary when working with the sheep, cows, and horses on the ranch. Often the jobs are difficult and dirty but the students learn to appreciate work, the animals, and each other!

Lambing and Calving

In early spring, approximately 1500 ewes (female sheep) give birth to lambs, and 400 cows give birth to calves. Students are given the opportunity and resposiblity to help staff and ranch owners with this process. The students are also responsible for bottle feeding and raising the "bum" or abandoned lambs and calves. It is an incredible learning opportunity for the students.

Old West Academy and Retreat is a working ranch where students will have the opportunity to learn traditional values by caring for cows, sheep, horses, goats and participating in calving, lambing. Their insight, awareness and perspective will be broadened while participating in these once-in-a-lifetime activities. This is an experience that will never be forgotten. Program last 14 to 28 days but can be extended to the time frame that the parent chooses.

During the spring and fall, the students are involved in sheep trail, passing through three states, and have the experience of sleeping in the outdoors as they trail the sheep to and from a beautiful summer pasture. All students also have the opportunity to learn to care for horses and can earn the privilege of riding horses for ranch duties.

Working With Horses

Students that progressing well at the camp can earn the privilege of riding horses for certain ranch duties. Students that earn this privilege will have a great opportunity to gain personal confidence and a greater appreciation for these magnificent animals. In horsemanship students learn how to develop good relationship skills: honesty, trust, consistency.

Location

Old West Academy is located in the beautiful scenic mountain valley of Rich County, Utah. Old West is 10 miles north of Randolph, on a 3000 acre working ranch. Randolph is 130 miles north east of Salt Lake City, Utah and 32 miles north of Evanston, Wyoming. 15 miles away is the gorgeous Bear Lake.

Directions

FROM SALT LAKE CITY:

Take I-80 East to Evanston, Wyoming (approximately 80 miles).

Take Exit 5 - Front Street.

At stop sign, turn left on to Front Street.

Follow Front Street to the third stop light just past the Jubilee Grocery Store.

(You will pass an Arbys, McDonalds, and Maverick gas station.)

Turn right at the light on to Highway 89 toward Jackson Hole. You will go over the overpass and through the next two lights going out of town.

Follow this road for approximately 32 miles north toward Randolph.

When you reach Randolph, keep going north on Highway 89 for another 8 miles until you reach Sage Creek Junction.

At Sage Creek Junction, you will make a complete stop. Go straight through the intersection for another 1 1/2 miles.

We are the first ranch on the right hand side of the road with several log sided buildings with green roofs and a big red barn.

Old West Academy is set in a beautiful region of the Western United States surrounded by scenic mountains, rivers, lakes and National Parks.

OLD WEST ACADEMY

Facility

State of the art facility

Old West Academy and Retreat has a state of the art facility designed to help kids learn the lifeskills necessary to become a succesful and contributing member of society. Included is a full size gym and a working ranch with over 1200 sheep and 400 cows.

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FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Q. How quickly can I have my teen enrolled?

Some families need to work within a tight time frame and in most cases that can be accommodated. The minimum is 24 hours.

Q. Is enrollment open or are there specific times of the year to enroll my teen?

A teen may enter the academy any day of the year. The academy is year round.

Q. Is the school coed?

Old West Academy is currently accepting boys & girls ages 7 - 14.

Q. How long do the teens stay?

The minimum stay is 28 days. Parents can have their teens stay longer if desired.

Q. How many teens sleep in a cabin?

10 to 12 teens with adult supervision.

Q. How do you work with a teen who refuses to work?

Our Camp offer's a POSITIVE PEER INFLUENCE opportunity. Every teen is assigned a school "buddy" or "friend". The buddy system is designed to provide each teen with a friend who in turn encourages honesty, accountability and leadership. Academy consequences include accountability essays, limited activity privileges, additional service credits. If necessary, as stated in contract, zero tolerance policy for a teen may be enforced.

Q. How do students communicate with Parents?

Weekend calls or emails from the teen and a academy representative.

Q. What are some of the life skills taught at the Academy?

One of the best ways to learn responsibility is to be given responsibility. Some of the responsibilities that are apart of our students daily routine include; making their bed, washing dishes,laundry, taking out the trash, earning additional privileges, repairing a flat tire, yard care, building a camp fire, riding horses, working with various animals, herding cattle, setting goals, washing clothes, to name a few.

Along with the chores and regular daily duties the kids also work on personal growth. While serving others, caring for animals, showing respect to staff and other students, the kids build appropriate relationships, appreciate mother nature, as well as understand the need for rules and boundaries. They learn through their own experiences the importance of rewards and consequences and how they directly effect their daily lives and are necessary for progression.

Q. Will my Teen have access to the Internet, Music, Video Games, Cell Phone or Television?

No, the academy is designed to provide a teen with a new perspective on how to live and be productive without all the worldly distractions.

Q. What type of teens attend the Academy?

Old West Academy works well for Teens who challenge limits and boundaries at home and at school. This Academy is designed to work with teens who continue to challenge their parents rules, refuse to be apart of the family unit, will not listen to authority at school or in the community. Our academy is designed to improve behavior and gain better life skills.

Q. What type of teen would not be appropriate for the Academy?

Teens who have a history of violent behavior, are a danger to themselves, or those around them. Kids who have a history of drug abuse or continued alcoholism, have court restrictions, Felony charges, highly medicated or have serious physical and emotional limitations. Each student is individually screened before approval is given for enrollment. Old West Academy reserves the right to deny any student based on history.

Q. What does the Academy offer?

Each teen has a daily opportunity to enhance personal interpersonal skills physically, mentally and emotionally. Those who need an introduction to structure, discipline, workmanship, and Self Achievement. We feel the academy provides each teen with a daily opportunity to be a part of a family. Responsibility comes with being apart of any family. Each of our students are given that opportunity as soon as they walk into the Academy, and are held accountable for those responsibilities, while in our care.

Q. What Health services are available?

Local nursing,therapists,and Medical Doctor's are within a 20 mile distance of the Academy. Hospital services are available in Evanston, Wyoming. Approximately 35 miles from the Camp.

Contact

Contact Us

Phone: (435) 730-1748

Fax: (435) 793-2666

E-mail: oldwestacademy_gmail.com

Tuition: $125/Day

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