About Whetstone Boys Ranch
Our Mission at Whetstone Boys Ranch
Whetstone’s mission is to “sharpen the character of young men by modeling the life of Christ, mentoring them through authentic relationships, imparting the love of creation and teaching the joy of work, thus equipping them to be servant-leaders in their families and communities.”
Refining Boys, Ages 12-16
Whetstone serves families with boys between the ages of 12-16 who struggle with anger, apathy, depression, relationship, trauma, truancy and/or self-esteem, and more. Many of the boys we serve have also been diagnosed with attention deficit, hyperactivity, oppositional defiance and attachment struggles.
Sharpening Character. Honing Mind, Body, Soul
Whetstone Boys Ranch intentionally and proactively focuses on character development in each struggling boy. Just as a whetstone sharpens a knife, our purpose is to take every opportunity to sharpen him and prepare him for service in his family and community back home.
We incorporate Whetstone’s unique 3-Level/6-Trait system into each aspect of our program. Beginning with the end in mind, we work through the 3/6 system in a detailed manner, applying Scripture and building relationships all along the way.
On Level One, we focus on Honesty and Self-Control, and look for compliance. This stage generally lasts about one to two months.
On Level Two, we raise the bar – continuing to hold him accountable for the first two traits, while adding Responsibility andKindness.
On Level Three, we begin building Loyalty and Perseverance. These traits guide our decisions in many aspects of the program, including chapel topics, film discussions, reading assignments, and community service opportunities.
Sharpening the mind, shaping hearts, and sharing in relationship.
Work Hard. Serve Others. Lead the Way.
Servant-leadership is the highest goal in character development. That’s why each boy contributes a minimum of six hours of community service per week. Boys complete school work in 4 days, allowing one day each week for service. These diverse experiences include, but are not limited to:
- Building fences
- Putting up hay
- Sorting, branding, and doctoring cattle
- Processing chickens and pigs
- Laying tile
- Installing hardwood flooring
- Painting
- Demolition
- Serving food to needy families
- Taking soil samples
- Extracting Honey
- Gardening
- Landscaping
- Tree planting
- River clean-up
- Highway clean up
- Cooking
- Animal Care
While actively serving alongside other individuals, boys receive evaluation on both attitude and performance. We connect progress in our 3 Level/6 Character Trait program to their participation.