Kids Ranch Summer Camp and School Year Tutoring Program

Program Overview

Kids Ranch provides reading and mental wellness help for children ages 7-12. Children are paired with volunteer tutors 1-2 times a week. The tutors are trained to use Synthesizing Phonics: a brain-based, multi-sensory phonics technique that makes new pathways in the brain. It works!

Kids Ranch serves the South Central Wisconsin school districts of Baraboo, Reedsburg, Sauk Prairie, and Wisconsin Dells. We work with the children after school in Reedsburg and Baraboo and at the Ranch in the spring and fall.

We also have a summer camp program that starts children with our phonic program. Kids Ranch Summer Day Camp is for children ages 7- 12 who are struggling with reading, mental wellness, or learning disabilities.

For two weeks, they enjoy:

1. One-on-one tutoring,
2. Self-esteem activities with a retired family therapist
3. Therapeutic horseback riding hosted by BREATHE
4. Nature activities and hiking in a beautiful rural setting
5. Gardening and craft projects

Kids Ranch always needs more drivers and tutors to help change lives.

Cost Info

Student and Volunteer Success Stories

Nino's story (name has been changed)

Told by his tutor:

"When I started tutoring Nino he was really struggling with reading. At first, he came reluctantly to tutoring and clearly didn't want to be there. He did everything to avoid it. His mom told us it was painful to get him to do his homework or to read at night. But over time, we established a good relationship and he worked hard with me and made great progress in this reading and spelling."

"At some point, Teresa recognized his ADD characteristic and talked with his mom. Teresa evaluated him for AD/HD, and sent her evaluation to his primary doctor. He confirmed the diagnosis of AD/HD and started him on medication. All of a sudden, he went from being kind of angry and unfocused, to being very focused, and his obstinance even went away. He could sound out new words, lots of words; he was unstoppable!

“We have a word list with sight words; it has several columns of 25 words each. At various intervals, we check to see the child's ability to read the sight words on these lists. Before Nino had the medication, he dreaded even looking at that list. He would show anger and anxiety. But after he started on his medication, he would soar through those words, either knowing them in an instant, or sounding them out like a linguist! The change was amazing!"

“One time I was telling Nino how far he has come in his reading ability just since last year when he began. He said excitedly, 'Yeah! Last year at this time I couldn't read! Now I can read' That says it all!"