Mt Carmel Youth Ranch, a Therapy Program for Troubled Teens Reaches its 600th Boy

Powell, WY (PRWEB) December 1, 2007 -- The sun turns the tips of the mountains red overlooking Powell, Wyoming, while the horses and cattle begin to stir. A teenage boy makes his way out to the tractor to feed the livestock. Today is the big day as Mt. Carmel Youth Ranch (http://mtcarmelyouthranch.com), a therapeutic ranch program for troubled teens, celebrates its fifteenth anniversary with the 600th boy changing his life around.

"Michael" has learned the meaning of care and hope at Mt. Carmel. "What hope they have given me and what skills I have learned for life along with a good work ethic." Michael Came to the youth ranch after a defiant and rebellious situation with his parents. "I used to hate my parents and felt that they were there to control me."

But his experience with the ranch life has changed him forever. "We got to push cattle off the mountain on horses in a real cattle drive. I must admit it was the greatest thrill of my life. And everything was real. The cattle really needed to be driven about 40 miles from the mountain to the ranch. I felt so responsible for their lives and I was given a chance to do something myself."

Most of the 600 boys who have graduated from Mt. Carmel Youth Ranch have experienced an overwhelming behavior adjustment, according to Mt. Carmel's polls taken from parents. According to these statistics, 81.3 percent of the boys experienced growth in every area of weakness. In the area of defiance, parents expressed a 100 percent change in all the 600 troubled teens who spent time at the youth ranch.

"Michael" says that the reason for this is the reality therapy found in the ranch's program. "That is how I knew they loved me. Because they trusted me and wanted me to take charge and experience the satisfaction of success." He explains that the real work on a real ranch has left him with what he considers real changes. "Mt Carmel Youth Ranch is different than other wilderness therapy programs (http://www.mtcwilderness.com) or brat camps and I can testify that their program is safe and works. I finished high school and now am on to adulthood. What hope they have given me and what skills I have learned for life along with a good work ethic."

One thing is for sure, that Mount Carmel continues to take boys and plans to continue expanding. A sports gymnasium and horse equestrian center is in the process of being built. Their hope is to continue helping boys for many years to come.

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