What students are saying about Diamond Ranch Academy

I just learned that I am eligible for the National Honor Society as a sophmore, and I have been invited to submit an application. As you probably know, this is a select group of high school students exemplifying scholarship, character, service, and leadership. I am thrilled to be regarded as a potential member and I attribute this prospect to my growth at Diamond Ranch Academy.

Brooke

How's everything been going?! I wanted to update you guys again. Two days ago was my one month anniversary of being home!! I'm slowly making friends, and slowly getting a social life back! I was given my first paycheck last weekend and bought my phone! It's weird because I've been talking about DRA a lot lately. I bring it up in school when we're asked to describe ourselves I can't describe myself without bringing up DRA. We had to write our college essay, and it's due tomorrow. Mine is about two days of my life. The day i got sent to DRA and the day I graduated DRA. Everyone else wrote about their interest in changing and being better people, and mines like BAM! been there, doing that! I cried and cried last night when I wrote it. Especially the beginning when I talked about how I felt my first day there. I think about all you guys everyday. I got progress reports, and straight A’s as of today! I’m just waiting for the report card!! I've been tempted to drink more then once, almost every day, but I haven’t touched anything! Sometimes I'll just think "how in the world am I doing this?" and it's weird. I, Danielle, am getting straight A’s, working a part time job, not drinking or smoking, and getting along with my family. That has never happened before.

People ask me all the time if it was worth all the time I spent there and all the pain I went through. And my answer is always yes. I wouldn't like to do it all over again, but every single second of it was worth it. Every single tear I cried and every single night I laid awake crying, was worth it. And I can honestly say that, because I don't have to prove anything. I'm going to a community college next year, and then applying to school of social work and plan on opening my own version of DRA in the next ten years. You'll be the first to tour the place!

Danielle

I don't think I'll ever forget what you did for me. I'm doing really good still. I'm going to be Master of Cerimonies for our next scout Court of Honor. I have to conduct what will happen and hand out rewards and all that. I'm also doing well in school. Everything seems to go in slow motion compared to DRA. I've also looked at some colleges here. I miss you guys at DRA.

Jeff

I couldn't have gotten as far as I have come with out all of your help. I don't ever think I could ever pay you back for all the help you guys have given me. I know as a fact I would not have this once in a life time job with out the help I received back at DRA.

Daniel

Hey everybody, I have been hard at work trying to finish my highschool and am only one assignment and a final away from doing so! Things with my family are great, ... I hope all is well at the Ranch.

Jeff

PS. Going strong on 10 months of sobriety!

"I attended Diamond Ranch Academy when I was 17 in the fall of 2002. My life was in shambles. I used sex, lies, alcohol, and drugs as an escape. I went from being a straight A student into someone who didn't know if she could even graduate. I let my choices ruin my academics. I had also almost destroyed all the good relationships in my life, including the ones with my family. My body was hanging on by the threads. I wanted my life to end. One day I was confronted by my closes friends to get some help. When I collapsed in the doorway of my home one Saturday, I begged my parents to get me some help, to please send me somewhere. I was so scared! I'll never forget that day. We live in Casper, Wyoming and they searched for days for the best place to send me. My dad is a through and through businessman, being the president of his company. You can believe there was not one thing untouched or asked before my parents decided. DRA was the best for his baby girl. They found DRA and had me there within hours. I don't know where I would be without this terrific academy. It was hard at first, I felt like I wasn't getting better. As I progressed, I knew that this was my miracle. My parents learned a lot in the parent seminars and we were able to communicate better than ever! I got to see how wonderful it felt to be sober again, and was able to build myself back into the person I wanted to be. I now am in my third year of college. I earned a college internship with Walt Disney World last semester and I was also just initiated into a National Honor Society called Phi Theta Kappa for college students. There is never a length of time that goes by that I don't appreciate what the staff of DRA did for me. Thank you so much Diamond Ranch!! You saved my life and helped my parents and older brothers rest easy cause I'm OK now. It has now been three years and no relapses, no lies. Thank you for everything!

Amanda

"Hey! It's Caitlin. I sure miss you guys. I am doing well. My school starts tomorrow. My mom and I have been getting along a lot better. I am glad to be home. Well, I wish you the best of luck with the new students. Thank you for everything. I miss you guys terribly. Give everyone my love. I love you."

Caitlin

"Hi! This is Fawna. I'm just writing to say hi and let you know that I miss you and the ranch very much. I miss you and the girls and the staff at the ranch so very much. I hope to keep in touch with you for a long time to come, because you have given me so much. I've been applying for jobs and spending more time with my brother lately. I am finishing my senior year through BYU independent study. Other than that, I've been home. I hope to hear from you soon. Give the girls my love if you can."

Fawna

"I am a student at Diamond Ranch Academy and I have gotten a second chance at life. I made a lot of choices I regret in my life and I've been shown the right and honest way to live. Without my mom and Diamond Ranch Academy, I'd probably be dead or in Juvenile Hall. I think that drugs, sex, stealing, lying and manipulation are some of the most harmful actions that teenagers and adults use to get away from their problems. Here at Diamond Ranch Academy, we learn how to realize when we manipulate and lie. We also learn how to be truly happy with our life without being involved in the opposite sex. Diamond Ranch also gives us the vital skills to learn how to deal with our parents and start to have extraordinary relationships. Instead of being with my mom, I decided to go out all hours of the day and night, get high and party. I know now that my mom is and always has been my one and only best friend. I've started to find myself and believe in a higher power. I know what it feels like to get your heart broken and have no one respect you and every day I was at home, my mom felt the same way. I love her with all my heart and I can't wait to go home."

Mandy