Through beekeeping, students learn practical skills while discovering connection, responsibility, and the value of hard work
At Yellowstone Academy, learning often extends far beyond the classroom. Through the YBGR Bee Program, youth have the opportunity to experience hands on learning while caring for bees, tending hives, and helping process honey on campus.
The Bee Program began in the summer of 2017 and quickly became a meaningful addition to student responsibilities at Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch. Beehives are located on a small Ranch owned field, where youth can put on protective bee suits and safely monitor and care for the bees.
Through the program, students learn the fundamentals of beekeeping, including how to prepare hives, feed bees, and understand the social structure of a hive. These lessons help youth practice patience, responsibility, awareness, and teamwork.
The program also creates opportunities for deeper conversations. As former YBGR CEO Mike Chavers shared, the bees provide a way for staff to engage youth in discussions about relationships and interactions, helping promote self awareness and reinforce therapeutic growth.
Each summer, students extract honey from the hive combs. The raw honey is then processed on campus and made into YBGR Honey Bears, which have been used as donor gifts and sold at local community markets.
Programs like this show how practical learning can support growth in powerful ways. Beekeeping gives youth a chance to build confidence, explore a valuable trade, and experience the satisfaction of contributing to something meaningful.
Yellowstone Foundation is grateful for donor and community support that helps make opportunities like the Bee Program possible for youth at Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch.
