In the year 2000, Judge John Phillips found himself grappling with a disheartening reality – the sheer number of minors he had sent through the California penitentiary system due to crimes committed during tumultuous and seemingly hopeless adolescences.
“You send these young people to prison, and they learn to become harder criminals,” he shared once.
Fueled by a desire for change, Phillips embarked on a mission to discover a better way to guide young individuals through these challenging years, providing them with support rather than incarceration. This endeavor led to the creation of Rancho Cielo in 2003, situated at the base of a hill in Salinas, utilizing an old juvenile detention center and governed by a board predominantly comprised of county supervisors, judges and law enforcement leaders.
Rancho Cielo distinguishes itself as a unique institution, functioning as a vocational training facility, culinary academy, and private school exclusively catering to at-risk youth or those living beneath the poverty line (defined as $19,000 a year for a family of four).
Originally focused on adolescent offenders, the organization adjusted its strategy in 2015 when Salinas witnessed a surge in underage murders, becoming the highest in the nation. Rancho Cielo expanded its outreach, actively seeking the most challenging cases by engaging with high schools, county jails, juvenile detention centers, homeless shelters, and foster homes.
The institution consistently inquired about the possibility of taking in the most challenging cases, aspiring to intervene in the trajectories of these youths and guide them towards a more promising future. With this objective in mind, Rancho Cielo offers an array of programs, predominantly hands-on and kinetic. These encompass diverse initiatives such as the carpentry and construction program, vintage car repair, beekeeping, and equestrian care.
Rancho Cielo attracts a wealth of expertise from professionals and industry insiders who regularly contribute their knowledge. For instance, Tom Forgette imparts wisdom in the auto and diesel repair shop, while Laura Nicole, co-manager of the ranch restaurant, divides her times with another role at the James Beard Award-winning La Bicyclette.
On the educational font, Rancho Cielo conducts traditional high school level classes in what is referred to as “Upstairs.” These classes cover academic subjects like writing and mathematics, typically geared towards preparing students for a General Educational Development (GED) or admission to community college. The academic curriculum is complemented by additional preparatory courses, including instruction in resume and cover letter writing, as well as interview skills.
Speaking with USA Today’s Elizabeth Weise, 17-year-old Omar Amezola said, “In my other school, it was all reading and writing. Here the teachers are more chill, you don’t have to stay in your seat all day, you can do things that are hands-on—it’s cool.”
Annually, Rancho Cielo accommodates 220 students. While not all students may succeed, an impressive 84.8% of first-time offenders who enroll at Rancho Cielo do not re-offend, a notable contrast to the 40% recidivism rate in the county.
The financial sustainability of Rancho Cielo’s comprehensive programs may raise eyebrows, but the institution manages to guide a student through its transformative offering for a mere $25,000. This is a stark contrast to the $110,000 cost associated with housing a young individual in prison.
The cost-effectiveness of Rancho Cielo not only challenges conventional punitive measures but also underscores that potential for a more compassionate and impactful approach to redirecting the lives of at-risk youth toward a brighter future.
See more about this incredible endeavor in the video below:
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