On any given day at St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, you will see the smiling faces of children and young adults as they get a new lease on life through our programs.  And 17 year old Kelly is no exception.

Kelly came to the Ranch in early 2008 after her mother was deemed unfit to care adequately for her.  This young lady, a victim of physical abuse and neglect at the hand of her mother, was welcomed into our homes and our program with open arms. 

Healing for Kelly meant focusing on the external signs of abuse before addressing the internal anguish her living situation had caused.  The Ranch has helped her come to terms with her past and prepare for her future – allowing her to dream for the first time in her life. 

Within months of her arrival on campus, Kelly moved into our Transitional Living Program.  A bright young lady, she has taken well to the independence of the program and is currently working on building and refining her life skills. Working hard has always been part of her life, so it was no surprise when Kelly approached the Ranch team asking if she could get

a job on campus.  Between assisting in the administrative office and doing homework to maintain her "B" average in school, she is a very busy girl.  She is proud of her achievements in school and she even went as far as to say, “This is the first time, in a long time, that I have had grades this good!”   

During this year's Ranch’s recent Awards Banquet, Kelly was honored with an academic achievement award recognizing her hard work in school and beyond.  This young lady is now dreaming big…hoping to attend massage therapy school and then go on to receive a four year degree and work with deaf children as an interpreter and psychiatrist. 

From her first day on the Ranch, Kelly has shown her commitment to the program and has found ways to grow during her time here.  We are so proud that she calls the Ranch home. “I love it here, everyone is really wonderful!”