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Girls’ Programs at Diamond Ranch Academy

Posted on July 5, 2018April 2, 2019 by admin

Girls who come to the Diamond Ranch Academy (DRA) and participate in the residential treatment program have the opportunity to be a part of programs that will be designed for their personal needs. The foundation of the beliefs at DRA is that every teen who resides with us is counting on the DRA program to help them to understand how to work through challenges that are presented to them in their daily life. This is done through educational as well as therapeutic programs that align them with life skills to deal with life issues as they happen in the best way possible.

The DRA educational structure has co-educational programs in areas such as career and life skills, performing arts, and vocational training. All of these programs are designed with several goals in mind which are to help teens to develop their personal strengths, skill sets, and interests.

Every program includes at some point a discussion on career interests and goals and developing effective study skills and habits. The end result for each teen will be taking what they learned and confidently apply it in their chosen work environment, educational setting, and in social circumstances throughout their life. One particular program called Horsemanship gives each teen who participates in this therapy program the opportunity to be responsible for the well being of someone other than themselves. It also gives them skills in relationship-building that they can carry over into their social relationships with others.

The Diamond Ranch Academy also offers girls an opportunity to explore life on a first-hand basis with a variety of field trips that allow them to explore specific vocations and life experiences in the real world as opposed to just discussing it in a classroom or therapy session.

Additionally, there are dedicated girls’ programs offered at Diamond Ranch Academy. The girls’ athletic program at DRA is very proud to offer sports that as a whole have been recognized and approved in Utah by the High School Activities Association in 2011. This means that there are opportunities for any teen who participates in these state-sanctioned sports to be considered for a college scholarship.

The girls’ athletic programs offer a variety of sports that will allow each teen to experience healthy peer interaction with other girls in an environment of their choosing whether it is in a larger team setting something on a smaller scale that suits their social comfort zone. All of this will give them the much-needed practice in relationship-building as well as confidence-building regarding their own personal strengths.

The coaches are trained in recognizing each teen’s level of comfort in participation and how to develop self-confidence in each girl leading to a deeper level of trust and enlarging the scope of their social circle through a team-player mentality that they can utilize throughout their lifetime. This includes an understanding of mutual respect that each coach impresses upon the girls that helps them to understand the value of respect for others and how that reflects on their own personal level of respect.

The dedicated girls’ athletic programs are as follows:

Soccer

The team practices and participates in home games on a dedicated soccer field on the DRA campus that boasts a Diamond Ranch Diamondback logo that spans the full length of the all-turf soccer field. Each player competes at their own pace and at their own skill level.

Cheerleading and Dance

Girls at DRA can participate on dance teams as well as a small cheerleading squad. The goal of the coaches for these teams is to promote the importance of team participation and trust in your fellow team members. Each member is encouraged to respect and encourage their teammates no matter what level of skill they bring to the team.

Volleyball

The Lady Diamondbacks team at DRA participates in practices and games in The Snake Pit where the boys also take part in basketball games. This gym is considered the “loudest gym in Utah” by several regional sports radio announcers and sports sites online. They are proud to say that they have consistently made the regional finals and state tournament finals for the state championship.

Golf

Approximately two miles from the DRA campus is where you will find the Sand Hollow Golf Course where the Diamond Ranch Academy golf teams for both the boys and girls practice and compete. They are coached by PGA professionals and participate in regional golf tournaments.

Track Club

This is called a club for girls at DRA, but there is also an opportunity for competing in track as each club session has a track coach who monitors activity, makes suggestions for improvement and organizes a friendly competition among the girls who participate.

Zumba

For any girls who want to just challenge themselves, Zumba is a perfect alternative to a team sport that not only helps teens who participate to stay in shape, but it is an energy booster and healthy way to let off some steam.

City League/Intramural Sports

This is an alternative for girls who are not as comfortable with their level of physical skill and agility. The city league offers both individual sports as well as team sports that include football. All of these sports promote active participation no matter what gender, physical ability, or age the teen may be.

Learn about our Girls Academic Programs

Diamond Ranch Academy Athletic Programs

Posted on June 30, 2018April 2, 2019 by admin

Athletics have long been deemed by professionals to be an important part of becoming a more well-rounded person; learning new skills, learning to be a team player, and building self-esteem through participation in athletics all contribute to becoming a better person. Diamond Ranch Academy encourages all students to take part in athletic events, regardless of a student’s skill level. Both individual and team sports are available for boys and girls, with certified, qualified coaches and athletic personnel overseeing all training and events. Life-long friendships are often forged through sports participation. Many Diamond Ranch Academy students go on to institutes of higher learning with athletic scholarships earned at the Academy.

The D-Back Fitness Center is well equipped with all the exercise machinery necessary to get and stay in shape.

For skaters, Rattleskate Park is a top-notch skating facility for all levels of skate boarding. Fun and safety go hand in hand as skaters learn new skills.

Nearby Sand Hollow Golf Course is a beautiful 18-hole championship course containing many challenges for novice golfers. Ranked #1 in Utah and #47 in the nation, both girls and boys are taught by a PGA apprentice, along with an assistant Pro instructor, on learning the game and honing their skills.

Equine assisted therapy has been proven to be valuable to certain students who need a more one-on-one boost to their self-esteem.

Regardless of a student’s athletic interests, there is a team for it! Baseball, basketball, football, soccer, and even wrestling teams are available. All of the athletic programs at Diamond Ranch Academy are sanctioned and competitive, playing in city leagues and beyond.

Diamond Ranch Academy is proud of its football team, who went undefeated in 2015 and earned the title of State Champions.

As well, the basketball team earned the 2016 1-A title of State Champion and consistently finish the season in the top 5 in Region 20. Post-season play is common. The ‘Snake Pit’ was voted the loudest gym in Utah as spectators cheered the team on to numerous victories.

Baseball is played at Venom Park, a state-of-the-art field complete with batting cages and the best all-turf infield and outfield anywhere around. Here, as with all team sports, leadership skills are learned along with the importance of playing together as a team.

The Diamondback Wrestling Team is active in tournaments against area high schools.

Girls, just like the males, are encouraged to check into and join one or more of the exciting athletic opportunities available to them:

Cheerleading and dance teams appear at all games, cheering on the home team, while Zumba classes get the blood pumping and help keep students in shape. Beginning skill levels aren’t important, striving to improve is.

Soccer and track are both popular sports, teaching both individual courage and team cooperation. Girls learn to cooperate, play by the rules, and build the self-esteem of other team members.

In its initial year, the girls volleyball team made an impression by appearing at the State Tournament and making it all the way into round three. Working together to build team spirit will take them far.

Girls Athletic Programs
Boys Athletic Programs

Boys Academic Programs at Diamond Ranch Academy

Posted on June 18, 2018April 2, 2019 by admin

The Diamond Ranch Academy (DRA) takes a personalized approach to each teen who participates in one of the six comprehensive treatment programs that are offered at DRA on its 55-acre campus. The customization of each program allows for specialized attention to each teen while giving them access to all the resources they need to accomplish the goals that have been set for them.

Each of the academic programs are accredited through AdvancED which is a non-profit educational organization representing three of the primary pre-college regional accreditation groups that include the Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA CASI), the Council on Accreditation and School Improvement of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) in concert with the Utah State Office of Education. This recognition ensures that each teen can earn academic credits leading to a high school diploma as well as transfer to any school in the U.S. including the majority of colleges and universities.
In order to give each teen tools they need to accomplish their goals, DRA structures each program to give access to the resources that will help them. These resources include the following:

• College Readiness Skills
• Assessment of Career Goals and Skills
• ACT Testing
• SAT Testing
• PSAT Testing
• ASVAB Testing
• Choosing and Applying to Colleges and Universities (including scholarship applications)
• Secondary School Transitioning
• Availability of College Courses (for students who have already graduated from a secondary school)
• Field Trips (for real-life experiences including career scenarios)
• Hands-on experience in vocational fields

Because teens develop at stages depending on their age and have gender-specific developmental needs, there are also programs dedicated to boys that are structured for different ages:

Stone Ridge (for boys ages 14-15)

With a focus on the individual aspects of a teen’s developmental growth, this academic program is unique in its approach. The activities aim to teach teens to understand that they are responsible for the choices they make and how to cope with the consequences of their actions. The faculty is specially trained to work with each teen to circumvent through the process. Each teen also has an opportunity to bond with other boys that are experiencing the same accountability issues as them and know that they are not alone in their struggle.
Academically, the Stone Ridge program allows each teen to develop at their own pace with certified teachers who set up a mastery-based learning structure that won’t allow any teen to move on until they have shown success through assignments and assessments that are at an 80% or better average.

Lava Falls (for boys ages 16-17)

This program keeps in mind that boys at this age are on the verge of becoming adults, yet they can be emotionally immature. They are also acting out independently and making choices without the benefit of advice from others, but they do not necessarily have the skill set that they need to work through the consequences of their actions. The Lava Falls program helps them to transition from the emotional trappings of being a boy to understanding how to make life decisions as a man. It also lets each teen interact with others that are making this same transition and learning from their experiences in this journey.

The academic design of the program takes into account that many teens at this age level are not fully committed to the idea of the benefits of getting an education. They also have a need for nearly instant results and have not developed the maturity in understanding that everything has a process leading to success, so many of these teens have not experienced a level of achievement in their academics that have developed confidence in their academic abilities. Each teen will work at their own skill level and pace with certified teachers that will assess their academic assignments and allow students that accomplish an 80% or better on their work to move ahead to the next academic stage of their learning.

Sage Canyon (age 18+)

These are teens that are technically adults but continue to struggle with emotional and academic issues that are keeping them from entering adulthood with the necessary coping skills and educational level that they need to succeed in the adult world.
The academic structure for these teens focuses on completing the academic credits they need to complete their secondary degree and prepare for college. This also includes developing a firm foundation of college preparatory skills that will help them to develop a level of confidence in entering a new phase of their education. The certified teachers in this program will assess each student’s academic content and move each teen along their educational path at their own pace while setting individual goals based on each teen’s educational stage. This will lead to help with college applications once the teen has earned their accredited high school diploma.

Academic Programs for Girls at Diamond Ranch Academy

Posted on June 16, 2018April 2, 2019 by admin

The Diamond Ranch Academy (DRA) takes a customized approach with their choice of six extensive programs for each teen who seeks residential treatment at DRA on its 55-acre campus. Each of the programs gives each teen personalized and professional attention while connecting them with a variety of resources that will aid them in accomplishing their goals to succeed in their program and in life.

The academic programs that are offered are accredited through AdvancED, a non-profit organization consisting of three pre-college regional accreditation groups: The Council on Accreditation and School Improvement of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (CASI); the Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), and the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC). AdvancEd works with the Utah State Office of Education to approve all the programs at DRA for academic recognition for teens who fulfill their credit requirements to earn a high school diploma and move on to college.

Diamond Ranch Academy structures all of its academic programs to give each teen the foundation of skills and tools that they need to not only accomplish their program goals but to be prepared to enter college and life beyond an academic setting. The following are basic resources that all teens have available to them at DRA:

• Classes in College Readiness Skills
• Career Goals Assessment and Guidance
• ACT & SAT Testing
• PSAT & ASVAB Testing
• Guidance in Choosing a College, the Application Process, and Scholarship Applications
• High School Transitioning
• Availability of College Courses (for high school graduates entering a DRA program)
• Field Trips (for exposure to real-life social and career experiences)
• Hands-on training in vocational fields

Diamond Ranch Academy understands that teens develop at their own pace depending on their age as well as have developmental issues that are specific to their gender, so DRA offers programs that are customized to meet the needs of the girls that reside at DRA:

Crystal Springs (for girls ages 12-15)

This is an age range for girls that is highly charged with new social experiences and biological developments that take girls from childhood into being a young woman. With these changes comes extreme changes in mood that can lead to a diminished feeling of self-confidence and peer pressure.

In this program, the emphasis is on character-building and understanding how each teen is attempting to circumvent through these changes and how it is affecting them. They also have the opportunity to unite with other teen girls in their struggle to cope with the same life changes. The academics center around developing the following personal traits and foundational life skills:

• Being a nurturing and responsible family member
• Building healthy family ties
• Personal hygiene and health
• Setting personal and social boundaries
• The way to use social media safely
• Practicing mindfulness in personal actions
• Coping with anxiety and stress
• Practice in regulating emotion
• The importance of a physical fitness regimen
• Interpersonal efficacy

Education in all of these practical life skills through the Crystal Springs program is coupled with academic assignments set forth by certified teachers who allow the girls to not only learn at their own pace and master each level and move on to the next challenge. The teachers show them how to be a personal stakeholder in their own learning. This is done by presenting learning tools and techniques to each teen that they can utilize throughout their lifetime. Each student will master the content at a level of 80% or higher than they are assigned before they are allowed to move on to further academic content within each subject area.

Whisper Creek (girls ages 16-18)

For many girls within this age range, biological growth into womanhood has already taken place, and the emotional growth that comes along with these changes needs to be assessed and nurtured in order to enter adulthood with a healthy outlook and confidence. The staff supports all the girls through this process during their tenure in the Whisper Creek program with the goal of developing a trust with the staff members to go to them with questions and concerns for guidance through any process that presents itself to each teen. There is also an opportunity to interact with other girls who are experiencing the same life issues and doubts about who can relate to their struggles and form a social and personal bond that can last a lifetime. The character-building design of this program suits the age of the participants and includes the following components:

• Being a nurturing and responsible family member
• Building healthy family ties
• Setting personal and social boundaries
• Personal hygiene and health
• Preparing for the adult world
• Being a responsible and contributing member of society
• Appropriate social media use
• Skills in job interviews and resume-building
• Interpersonal skills
• Practicing mindful behavior
• Developing tolerance skills
• Understanding how to regulate emotion
• The importance of regular physical fitness

Academically, this program is structured to maximize each student’s academic confidence and skill sets. The certified teachers work with each student to master the subject matter at an 80% or higher rate before they move on to the next level of content in that subject. So, the learning is paced at each girl’s own speed without pressure to move on because others have already done accomplished that particular academic goal. There is an additional emphasis on being responsible for the pace at which they progress as they work to meet their own personal goals. This gives them experience in the same kind of personal accountability they will need to use in real-life very soon in college and in their chosen career.