Paul Dean

“Just Buildings” Back to Summer of Hope The buildings at Rock Solid Refuge are more than “just buildings”. They are where students wake up each morning, share meals, go to school, meet with staff, laugh with one another, cool down…

Foundational Needs Back to Summer of Hope Maintaining the facility may not feel glamorous or exciting, but these everyday essentials are what keep the program running smoothly. These needs aren’t always flashy, but they’re necessary. When the equipment is running…

Family Camp Back to Summer of Hope Summer is home to the most important student life event of the year: Family Camp. All of the students’ parents join us on site to learn about their kids, their relationship, and to…

Outdoor Leadership Back to Summer of Hope Nothing says summer like days outside swimming, hiking, and building shelters. A lot of growth and change happens when you’re uncomfortable. For our students, these are largely unknown skills. They didn’t grow up…

Equine Assisted Learning Back to Summer of Hope How do body language, tone, and your emotional state affect your relationships? To most adults, the answer seems obvious. To struggling teens, the answer is far less clear. It’s easy for them…

Summer Adventure Back to Summer of Hope The students at Rock Solid Refuge have done many risky things. It’s normal for a teen to seek out challenge and danger, to push themselves. This can be channeled in positive ways and…