The Wyman Valley

Hundreds of years ago, Native American children romped in its meadows and splashed in its springs, carefree yet respectful of the land. One hundred fifty years ago, settlers discovered its beauty and admired its peacefulness and grandeur. Seventy-five years ago, farmers worked its fields, built homes on its hillsides, and profited from its bountiful resources.

Today, the Valley serves a different and uniquely important purpose. As home to historic Kiwanis Camp Wyman and a new Teen Leadership Ranch, the Valley is at the center of youth development activities for the St. Louis region and across the country. Every year, more than 15,000 children and youth, many of them with limited means and even fewer opportunities, will come to the Valley to learn about nature, life and themselves. Wyman's many social, recreational and educational programs have become national models for promoting youth leadership and personal responsibility. More than 600,000 St. Louisans have shared in these experiences since 1898, when St. Louis Industrialist Frank Wyman first recognized the power of the Valley to change young lives.

At the western end of the Valley sits Kiwanis Camp Wyman, among the ten oldest youth camps in America. It is a place where children continue to benefit from an experience that emphasizes respect for themselves, each other, and the world around them. Regardless of their backgrounds, these children quickly discover the wonders of nature and learn about life in an environment that is supportive, challenging, and always exciting.

To the east is the site of the newly planned Teen Leadership Ranch, a unique setting where promising young people will have an opportunity to gain the perspective, experiences, skills and self-confidence to become the community leaders of tomorrow. The Ranch will provide incredible learning opportunities for teens to develop a positive life and worldview, inspired by a progressively challenging curriculum focused in the areas of service, academics, the arts, business and leadership.

For untold centuries, the Valley has been a place of learning and growth, a refuge for those seeking insights and answers, a retreat from the distractions of modern life, and a setting where young people can discover and begin to develop their own true potential. For more than 100 years, the Valley has changed those who have hiked its trails and played in its fields. It has a significant and long-lasting impact on those who come here as children and youth and leave here as young adults. It is an impact that will continue to be felt throughout the entire St. Louis region.

Facts & Figures

• 240-acre valley
• The center of youth development in the St. Louis region
• Home of historic Kiwanis Camp Wyman and new Teen Leadership Ranch
• Surrounded by thousands of acres of state and local parks
• 100+ year history of serving young people

Teen Leadership Ranch

Once-in-a-lifetime opportunities are, by their nature, life-changing events, for individuals, organizations, and communities.

When the 160-acre farm adjacent to historic Kiwanis Camp Wyman in Eureka became available, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Wyman to realize its vision of creating a teen leadership facility where young people can learn how to lead, plan, problem solve and communicate. It provides an opportunity to give more than 4,000 youth with limited means a life-changing experience. It enables Wyman to develop programs that will foster youth who are self-confident, compassionate and accountable, and who are well prepared to act as contributing employees, family members and citizens.

The Teen Leadership Ranch will be a learning lab for life, where teens can discover new skills, explore career directions, and interact with peers and adults in a caring, supportive and invigorating environment. In the Ranch's fields, orchards and prairies, they will learn the basics of plant science and crop production and gain an appreciation for the sanctity of the land. At the Ranch's Market Pavilion, youth will market the crops and crafts they have produced, giving them some income and a sense of fulfillment and pride, while also teaching them the fundamentals of business and retail sales.

The Ranch's Living History Areas will expose young people to other cultures and the traditions that shaped our history. At the Adventure Center, they will challenge themselves to push their limits and reach new heights. At the Performance Hall, they may discover previously unknown creative talents. In the Dining Hall and Bunkhouses, they will share experiences with other youth from diverse backgrounds and learn to respect others as members of a community.

At the Media, Technology and Trade Center, this state-of-the-art campus will blend history, culture, nature, career, and media and information technology in new and exciting ways to enable teens to grow into competent, confident, connected and caring young adults. Integrated, experiential programs and activities will provide daily opportunities for youth to grow and succeed, aided by highly trained, caring adults who will educate, mentor, encourage and support them at every step.

The Ranch will serve 8,000 youth each year with year-round activities and programs. Of these, 4,000 youth will be from families of limited means. For each of them, the Ranch experience will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For all of them, and for the St. Louis region to which they will return, it will be a life-changing event.

Facts & Figures

• 160-acre ranch
• Serves 8,000 young people each year
• Opportunities for youth to experience nature, learn life, business and social skills
• A national model for teen leadership and development

Town Square

The Town Square will be the focal point of the entire Valley, the hub of activity for campers, staff and visitors, and the heart of all of our programming.

Young people need a place where they can gather, to relax, be with friends and participate in positive, productive activities. The Town Square's design will encourage a sense of community, while enabling campers to socialize under adult supervision.

The Town Square plaza will be surrounded by a Market Pavilion where teens can acquire arts and business skills; a Media, Technology and Trade Center where youth-run businesses will be housed; a Camper Center including a snack bar, Trading Post and Laundromat; and a Performance Hall for music, drama and media/entertainment instruction and presentations.

The Town Square will also be the hub of the Ranch's youth-run business enterprises. In the Fall, it will provide merchandising venues for a market place to sell produce from the Ranch as well as art products made by youth. It will provide multiple opportunities for campers to discover their own abilities to learn, grow and develop important skills that will serve them throughout life. The Town Square will also provide opportunities for youth to earn and manage their own money.

Facts & Figures

• Focal point for programming for 20,000 youth per year
• Outdoor gathering spot
• 8,800 square feet of programming areas
• Includes Market Pavilion, Media. Technology and Trade Center, Camper Center and Performance Hall
• Located near front of the Ranch for easy access by campers and community

Wyman Enterprise Center

Made possible by a generous donation from the Anheuser-Busch Foundation

The program offered at the Ranch will provide teens with multiple opportunities for activities that will test their decision-making skills, and increase their ownership or investment in the decisions they make while allowing for learning and creative expression.

The Wyman Enterprise Center will be located at the Town Square and serve as the center of youth-run technology, media and ranch business enterprises.

• Here, young people will learn about marketing, advertising, communication, information and media businesses.
• They will learn and use information and media technology to support the production and promotion of various projects for their camp and community programs.
• Teens will plan environmentally sustainable crop or native plant production for the upcoming season, develop marketing and retail plans for crops, art fairs as well as organize events and oversee the operation of the entrepreneurial endeavors they choose to pursue.

The Trade Center will be a visible symbol of Wyman's commitment to letting youth discover their talents and develop those abilities to their fullest extent. For the young people, it may provide the beginning of a lifetime of success and fulfillment.

Facts & Figures

• 2,500-square-foot center (25' x 100' x 8')
• Designed for year-round use
• Center of youth-run art, agricultural and environmental business enterprises
• Lessons in business marketing, planning and project management
• State-of-the-art media center

Market Pavilion

Much like a country farmer's market, the Market Pavilion at the Town Square will bustle with activity throughout the year.

The Market Pavilion will be the site of creative and challenging activities for thousands of young people each year. It will be the hub for programming involving fine arts, business and entrepreneurial endeavors, recreation, and outdoor activities. It will also attract the community at large as visitors and customers of the Ranch's youth-run enterprises.

The open-air pavilion will be lined with portable kiosks designed to serve as teaching stations for fine arts, manual arts and textile arts during the summer camping program, and as display and merchandising venues where youth will sell produce from the ranch as well as art products they have created.

One end of the Pavilion will be enclosed, providing a secure, clean storage area for equipment and supplies. The Market Pavilion will provide the valley with a spirit of action, creativity, and community.

Facts & Figures

• 1,600-square-foot, clear-span, open-air pavilion (26' x 62' x 12')
• Eight portable kiosks lining each outside edge, separated by eight-foot center aisle
• Active site for educational programming and merchandising of Ranch products