Cowboy Culture: How TVRC Builds Grit and Gratitude in Our Community
In the more than 200 staff interviews I have conducted in the last seven months, one of the most common questions I am asked by prospective staff hopefuls is: “how would you describe TVRC’s culture?” The world’s young people no longer feel satisfied with a summer in the Tetons alone; they also require that they spend their time in a community they feel a sense of belonging in. I could write an entirely separate blog about why young people valuing community is a good “problem” to have, but alas, this is not that blog. Cutting to the point, our staff members commonly want a job to be more than work, they want an experience that leads to a place, and a people, feeling like home.
Luckily, as summer camp professionals, we specialize in the business of belonging; and at Teton Valley Ranch Camp specifically, our history stewarding one of the country’s most unique western camp programs for over 87 years has forged a culture rooted in western tradition, connected community, and meaningful growth. Upon being asked the above question, I tend to smile, thank the applicant for their question, take a deep breath, and begin with…
Our Mission, Purpose, and Vision
For those unfamiliar with TVRC’s mission statement, it reads as follows:
The Mission of Teton Valley Ranch Camp is to provide inspiring western adventure in the Jackson Hole and Yellowstone area.
In my own words, I believe that TVRC begins with the belief that if we get a dynamic group of people with a shared goal together in a beautiful place, we can inspire positive life-changing experiences in the members of our community. Spending a summer at camp helps instill what I call the “wonderful, warm, mushy-gushies” of TVRC - the intangible benefits of positive experiences in a caring community more clearly defined in our Purpose statement:
TVRC instills passion and respect for the outdoors while building self-confidence, skills, and lifelong friendships.
If we consistently actualize our Mission & Purpose, TVRC’s Vision comes to fruition:
TVRC is a trusted partner with our families and creates future generations of leaders ready for challenges ahead.
Notice that nowhere in any of these statements do we address the beneficiaries of TVRC as only “campers.” Staff members, alumni, parents, and anyone else who might set foot on the Ranch can grow from what we do.
At this point, if you already find yourself sold on TVRC and need to get on with your day, thanks for reading! We’ll see you at camp! The more curious, unoccupied, or skeptical reader might ask how these culture concepts get diffused into the daily operations of camp. TVRC’s Values and the Code of the West find themselves sprinkled throughout the program. Seasoned campers, staff and alumni might recognize the following elements from memorable moments of their days spent at the Ranch:
TVRC Core Values
Strength to Lead and Faith to Follow: Rising to the occasion and trusting in the team.
Answering the Call: Sharing achievement in a supportive community; we summit together.
Ready to Ride: Developing grit, gratitude, and generosity through challenging western adventure.
It’s Our Ranch: Instilling care and respect for the land and wilderness.
I Know A Place: Establishing lifelong friendships and genuine connections to others.
Memories that Last: TVRC celebrates and cultivates fun, joy, and humor in all we do!
From eating a meal in the dining hall, saddling up for a Rough Ride, summiting a mountain, to singing two beloved songs at the end of every evening campfire, we live and speak our values into actuality. Further granular exists the Code of the West, a set of ten “Cowboy Ethics” so ingrained in the culture of Wyoming that they are listed in the state Constitution.
The Code of the West
- Live Each Day with Courage
- Take Pride in Your Work
- Always Finish What you Start
- Do What Has to Be Done
- Be Tough, but Fair
- When You Make a Promise, Keep It
- Remember that Some Things are Not For Sale
- Talk Less, Say More
- Know Where to Draw the Line
- Ride for the Brand
A camper’s comprehension and mastery of the Code of the West progresses parallel to their growth in our adventure group system. Yearlings and Rough Riders discover the Code and learn to see how it applies to their daily adventures in the program. Top Hands spend time reflecting on the Code and speaking on each piece during our weekly Rodeo Day Chapels - reverent community mornings spent high on a hill speaking from the heart and listening with respect. Wranglers learn to live the Code not only as individuals, but as a collective team. Wranglers encounter abundant challenges in the pursuit of teamwork and understanding, ultimately gaining a deeper sense of gratitude for the people they have shared their path with. Trailblazers, having completed every challenge we have laid out before them, realize how they can apply the Code to life beyond camp. One of the final lessons we learn at TVRC is that camp goes with us wherever we go. Staying true to the people we are at camp helps us lead full, fulfilling lives, and through that principle, we unconsciously inspire others in our communities outside of camp to shine as well.
In the exercise of writing this blog, I have found myself wanting to give so many more examples to further elaborate how much the aforementioned values influence the daily culture of camp. Camp mundanities such as leaving a bathroom cleaner than you found it, hopping a meal for your table at dinner, or making room for another person at a campfire speak to the culture we have carefully cultivated since 1939. However, one thousand words can only say so much, and hold your attention for so long. A much more effective method to discover the intangibles of camp involves speaking to our community members, reading about our history, or best yet, coming and seeing it in action for yourself. We can’t wait to see you there!