Knightly News

Eighth graders recently returned from an exciting experience at Mo-Ranch, an outdoor retreat center in the Texas Hill Country. Division Head Mark Engstrom shares more about the benefits of this longstanding Episcopal tradition.

Perhaps the best part of Mo-Ranch is watching students achieve what they previously thought was impossible. We have students rappelling from a bridge, reaching the top of a rock wall, and jumping to catch a trapeze 40 feet in the air. For example, Corrine Boydstun demonstrated tremendous perseverance when she climbed to the top of the rock wall, and while Mason Kelly didn’t catch the Mo Pole trapeze the first time, he was successful on his second attempt. It’s empowering for our students to not only be away from their parents and take care of themselves but to push themselves beyond what they would have normally expected that they could do. 

Our time at Mo-Ranch is rewarding, but it is also challenging. We begin each day at 6:30 with our first wake up call, are eating breakfast by 7:30, and are ready for the first round of activities at 9:00. Some students tackle team challenges while others zipline. Some learn about wildlife, while others canoe or kayak. Some seine in the river while others go on a nature walk. We eat lunch, and the same rotation of activities is repeated. At 4:30, everyone has an hour and a half of activity time. Mountain biking, swimming, water sliding, volleyball, and playing in the creek are all options. At 6:00, we eat dinner before nighttime activities, followed by showering and lights out. It’s an exhausting but fulfilling day for all.

In a previous blog post, Middle School Counselor Alicia Kelly outlined the importance of encouraging responsible independence in tweens and teens. Mo-Ranch offers a focused opportunity to do that as students confront obstacles. Kelly provides tips for families to use back at home to support a student’s social and academic independence. She also encourages families to support students in developing work skills. She emphasizes that helping students develop these skills is part of Episcopal’s mission to prepare students for “purposeful lives.” Read more from Kelly here. 

Enjoy a gallery of images from the recent trip below.

Mark Engstrom is Episcopal’s Middle School Division Head. Prior to joining Episcopal he served as the Middle and Upper School Division Head at Allen Academy in Bryan, Texas. Mark is a Louisiana native and a graduate of Ben Franklin High School in New Orleans. Mark earned degrees from the University of Kentucky, the University of New Orleans and Framingham State College in Massachusetts. He has extensive experience in blended learning and has led multiple professional development opportunities regarding blended learning. Mark has also published articles on personalizing student education. Mark particularly enjoys working with Middle School students as they transition from elementary school students to high school students. Mark is married to Nicole, Episcopal’s fifth grade science teacher. Their children, Alex and Emma, are Episcopal students.

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