Youth Ranch officials were notified in November that the Big Springs Ranch for Children has been certified as an official Charter School under Governor Bush’s program to promote quality education for all Texas children by allowing private schools to work with at-risk youth.

The school is the brainchild of three Youth Ranch pioneers, who have shared this dream for years: Oma Bell Perry, Dr. John Givens, and Gary Priour. Miss Perry, donor of the Big Springs Ranch, has long dreamed of a quality private school being built on the beautiful Frio River. Dr. Givens, Director of the new program, has spent his career developing innovative schools. He was the first superintendent of the Ingram Independent School District after it voted to establish a high school in 1978. It was then that he met Gary Priour, founder and Director of HCYR, who was serving on the Ingram School Board in 1978, and who asked Dr. Givens to join Ingram in its effort to create a quality high school. The two have been friends and "co-dreamers" ever since.

Says Priour, "It was Dr. Givens who introduced me to Miss Perry’s dream in 1995, and as I began work with our Board of Directors to build the Big Springs Children’s Village, he came out of retirement to begin work on creating a new school and getting it accredited. His tireless work has paid off."

Says Dr. Givens, "The Charter School is the perfect format for what we want to do. Public school standards generally apply, but we have great flexibility to introduce innovative programs."

Dr. Givens is joined by a School Management Board of individuals from the Real County area: Judy Taylor, former school principal; Brenda Atkins, regional special education supervisor; Dr. Phillip Hamman, member of the Leakey school board; and Mrs. Bella Rubio, Real County Clerk and President of the local Parent Teachers’ Organization.

Dr. Givens himself received his Doctorate from the University of Houston. He has been associated with the Youth Ranch from its beginning in 1977, has served as a member of the Board of Directors, and currently serves as an Advisory Director.

Construction of Phase I, the library, began December 1. Plans call for the school to grow to house 100 students by 2005, with Phase II construction beginning next year.