Swimming, kayaking, fishing, water zip lines, blobs, and more! What kid wouldn’t have fun at a place that offers these activities? For the 5th summer in a row, staff member Vicki Townsend took five of our Steps 2 Success program students to Stoney Creek Ranch where they spent four nights and five days participating in traditional camp activities and learning about God’s word. Stoney Creek Ranch is a non-denominational Christian camp located in New Ulm, TX whose passion is to work with organizations that target urban youth who may otherwise not have the opportunity to “experience the beauty of God’s creation through a life-changing adventure in the great outdoors.”
We sponsor students each summer to attend the camp as part of our mission to transform communities by empowering children and families through literacy, leadership and life skills. Giving at-risk children the opportunity to expand their worlds through experiences like this is something we believe plays an important role in helping to break the cycle of generational poverty. Without the support and opportunity to dream of something different, many low-income students don’t know how to work toward something different.
Attending Stoney Creek Ranch is just one of the many opportunities we give to our Steps 2 Success students. Throughout the school year, they go on field trips to various places such as museums, fires stations, hospitals, businesses, animal shelters, and local universities. They also learn about the importance of giving back to the community while developing and implementing a class community service project. “Volunteering is an essential part of preparing students to take responsibility as open-minded, principled citizens in a global community. While performing community service, children have the opportunity to see first-hand just how much their work can have an impact on the world,” (Mead, Sarah. “Why is Community Service Important?” Whitby School. June 22, 2018.)
If you are interested in learning more about Making It Better and the impact we are having on low-income children and families in Houston, please visit our website at mibtx.org.
