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Welcome to Whetstone – See Our Video
An Opportunity for Struggling Teen and Pre-Teen Boys
(Ages 12-16) to Be Shaped into Godly Young Men
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”– Proverbs 27:17 NIV
Whetstone Boys Ranch is a therapeutic boarding school that has served struggling boys and their families since 2011. Boys live, learn, work, and grow as they experience life-changing individual, group, and family therapy, a rich and rewarding academic curriculum, exciting outdoor adventures, and useful hands-on tasks. We believe in sharpening the character of young men so that they can become true servant-leaders in their families and communities.
Whetstone’s purpose centers on the reconciliation of boys (ages 12-16) and their families. We specialize in treating struggles such as anger, depression, pornography, screen-addiction, entry-level substance abuse, low self-esteem, and other trauma/pain-based behaviors. Our loving, systems-based approach, our comprehensive and immersive method of treatment, and our very low boy-to-staff ratio (3:1) all serve to set us apart.
From Whetstone Boys Ranch Executive Director
“I tell new boys on the first day they arrive at Whetstone Boys Ranch that being enrolled at Whetstone is an opportunity, not a punishment. Young boys have a tendency to think that because of their actions their parents are punishing them by sending them to Whetstone. The truth is that parents are providing their son with a great life opportunity. An opportunity to be further equipped to become the man that God is calling them to be.”
– Jeremy Thompson
"A Time to Sharpen" - A Whetstone Podcast
A bi-weekly podcast that examines how working with teenagers can make us better versions of ourselves: better teachers, better counselors, better parents…better people. Join two of Whetstone Boys Ranch co-founders, Axel Liimatta and Brandon Maxwell, as they discuss what twenty years of serving struggling teenagers and their families has taught them about how to address the most challenging of behaviors. You'll find answers without dogma, encouragement without false hope, and sharpening without shame."Even the Wind" - A Whetstone Book
Even the Wind tells the inspirational true story of a community struggling to survive and overcome disaster. In the days, weeks, and months that follow, trauma takes its toll. But along with suffering and struggle comes transformation. A house is rebuilt. A home is restored. And all those tested by the storm—staff, boys, and families—learn lessons in relationship and resilience, which only a tempest can teach.
