Still Creek Ranch or Still Creek Christian School is an accredited Christian school and fully functional ranch located 15 miles from Bryan, Texas on 275 acres of land. Danny and Margaret O'Quinn operated the school from 1988 to 2012 when Steve and Tracy Singleton took over as Executive Directors. The ranch has grown from 14 acres (5.7 ha) in 1988 to 286 acres (116 ha) in 2012.
Still Creek is both a boarding and day school that serves neglected and abused children from all over Texas by providing a structured, Christian environment in which to live and study. Children between ages 8 and 18 are accepted. Most of the children begin in the 4-H program when they join the ranch and get an animal to care for, feed and groom.
In addition to the academic curriculum, Still Creek Ranch offers a variety of vocational training such as welding, agriculture, mechanics, wood shop, and horsemanship classes. Still Creek Ranch students participate in the Brazos County Faith Riders Drill Team which competes in the annual Texas State 4-H Horse Show.
Mission and support
The school's mission is to provide a structured home for children who need a second chance at life, share Christian values with them and to foster a Christ-like character.
The ranch is a non-profit organization that operates on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, civic groups, and churches. It does not have the security of an endowment. Donations go toward operating the facility specifically paying for food, clothing and salaries for the staff members. The school does not receive state or federal grants or funds from the United Way of America. The ranch relies heavily on three annual fundraisers. The kids build furniture and crafts all year long in preparation for these events.
Members of the community as well as students from nearby Texas A&M University volunteer their time helping at the ranch and helping the children with their homework.
Over the years, Still Creek Ranch has received funding from Bryan Texas Utilities, the Moore Memorial Group and benefited from the annual Armadillo Dash, a half-marathon held in Bryan, Texas.
Most of the commuting students who attend the school come from low-income backgrounds so the ranch gives them food baskets every Christmas .
History
Prior to the coming of the O'Quinns, the land on which Still Creek was built was a children's residential treatment center run by The Answer. When starting the school, Still Creek Ranch leased 14 acres of land that had one school building which had been an old barracks, one building that housed the children and an old barn. In the first three years the school served 14 students. In 2012, Still Creek Ranch comprised 286 acres and had 24 buildings. In 2012, the school served 70 students.
With the assistance of staff member Ken Klein, Still Creek shifted its focus away from residential treatment to being a boarding school for underprivileged children. The mission changed to providing a home for children abandoned by their parents. The home's goal was to provide children with structure, discipline and education in order to become independent adults. Initially, Still Creek was a boys' home. However, an unidentified benefactor donated 20 acres on the condition that a girls' home be built on the ranch. In three years, a girls' home had been built with the help of the Jensen Foundation of Dallas, Texas . Later, the landlord that leased the original 14 acres deeded her entire 100 acres to Still Creek Ranch.
When the need arrived to build a school building, a four acre lot next to the ranch came up for sale and a donation was given from a donor in Bryan, Texas that was equal to the sales price. When the foundations to the school were poured, Bibles were placed in each corner. The school was built slowly as donations came in. Volunteers, staff and the boys on the ranch helped build a mechanic's shop, a welding shop, a woodworking shop and horse barns. Every vehicle, piece of furniture, and other furnishings were donated.
In 2005, Still Creek bought a 100 acre strip of land with the help of the Jensen Foundation. The land supports oil wells that provide a steady income to the ranch. Later, a donor bought 15 acres of land adjoining Still Creek Ranch and build a covered horse arena that is 88,000 sq. ft with numerous horse stalls, kitchen and bathrooms.
In 2012 the staff numbered 28 people including house parents, kitchen staff, office staff and teachers. In May 2012, Steve and Tracy Singleton, parents to six children of their own, officially took over management at Still Creek while the O'Quinns retired to New Mexico to start a summer camp for abused children. The Singletons were former directors of Happy Hills Farm Academy in Granbury, Texas.
In 2013, Still Creek launched Restore Her, a ministry specifically focused on the restoration of minor girls who had either been trafficked or who had been exposed to the commercial sex industry. In 2014, a third girls house was completed allowing Still Creek to house an additional eight residents.
In February 2015, Tim Floyd was named the new Executive Director of Still Creek Ranch. Mr. Floyd and his wife Lori had previously been house parents at the New Mexico Baptist Children's Home and before that had served as the Program Director for Open Door Ministries which served the inner city of Denver, Colo.
Accreditation and Facilities
Still Creek Ranch is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and has been accredited since 1991. The school is interdenominational and not affiliated with any particular church. Still Creek consists of two facilities: Still Creek Boys Ranch and Still Creek Girls Ranch.
The Boy's Home consists of two cottages. The "Big Boys Cottage", built in 1985 by the Dansby Foundation, has room for 8 boys. The "Little Boys Cottage" was built by the Weedon Family and There are two cottages for boys at the Boys Home location. The "Big Boys Cottage" was built by the Dansby Foundation and the "Little Boys Cottage," by the Weedon Family, both of the Brazos Valley in College Station Texas.
The "Big Boys House," was built in 1985 and dedicated to Mr. Dansby. This cottage is located under beautiful trees and has gorgeous porches in the front and back. It holds 8 boys. The boys have a living area and the home parents have nice quarters attached to the home.
"The Second Chance Cottage" is the ranch's newest facility. As the Second Chance Cottage was being built, scriptures were written on the two-by-fours on each wall, as well as on the staircases. Scripture cards were placed in each of the cement slabs as they were poured, and the attics are filled with Bibles. The 5500-square-foot Morning Glory Cottage provides housing for 8 girls. The home was built by the Jensen Foundation and opened in 1998.
The ranch also features a roofed arena for riding and horse shows. The arena covers 88,000 square feet (8,200 m2). The school has hosted trail rides and cow horse clinics sanctioned by the American Competitive Trail Horse Association.
Still Creek also has two school buildings, staff housing, a welding shop, three barns, a wood shop, a mechanic shop and a greenhouse.
The school also has a computer lab, science lab, library, weight room, and gymnasium.
References
External links
- Still Creek Ranch official website
- Texas A&M University Agronomy Society Activities
- Still Creek Boys Ranch Inc.
- Rod Run to showcase vehicles, old and new, in College Station June 12-13
- Still Creek Boys and Girls Ranch Profile at Christianvolunteering.org
- Still Creek Ranch Students Help Out With Pet Day
Interesting Informations
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