Hi, my name is Catreena. I would like to share a little of my story and talk about the hope that I have found. My life hasn’t been easy, but I’m grateful that God has brought me through. I was born and raised in the state of Kansas. Growing up, I knew a lot…
“Our class of seniors excelled at ministering to people. They worked hard, yes, but more importantly, they understood the heart behind it.” – Rod Johnson, Senior Trip Sponsor Each year at Cookson Hills, our high school seniors have the opportunity to go on a Senior Mission Trip. This is more than just a fun…
Government is one of those topics that many students write off as boring or unimportant because they aren’t old enough to vote. But when they see it up close and personal, their view of democracy and politics can change, empowering them with the belief that someday they might be able to change the future.…
Imagine walking into your bank to make a withdrawal and finding out that your account is empty! There is no money in the bank. Worse yet, you have gone in the negative and actually owe them money. If you continue trying to make withdrawals, you will likely lose faith with the bank and ultimately lose…
Do you wish for a closer, more trusting relationship with your children? Do you find yourself frustrated that your kids rarely seem interested in talking with you? Maybe the answer lies in what sort of messages you are sending. Consider these examples: Son: “Hey Dad, guess what? I was the third fastest in the…
Parenting is hard, but it is worth it. I remember the birth of my first child and how much it changed life as I knew it. Alone time with my wife became less frequent. Time with my friends was sporadic. But I felt an overwhelming love towards our new little one. Then a second…
Cookson Hills has been a vitally important part of my life. I decided to represent my time here with a drawing. The ladder in the picture signifies my life. The bottom rung is my past, the middle rung is my time at Cookson Hills, and the top rung is my future. The background colors…
In Scripture, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel and the sun stood still. Last night we prayed for snow. Just twenty-six hours prior, we noticed that one of our daughters had left home unannounced with a boy. She left through the window with a backpack and…
I learned early in life to hold family in low regard. Not because I did not need it, but because I could not have it. When my family fell apart during childhood, it shaped me. Honestly, it is still shaping me 25 years later. I remember the sobering day when my eyes were…
Growing up I had a good life. I was raised in the church and I had parents who loved me. But things didn’t stay good for long. When I was 7 or 8, our family was torn apart as my mom packed up her stuff and left. I remember chasing her van down the road,…
Austin’s life was headed in the wrong direction. Each morning, he went to school for a few hours and then left with a group of friends. They spent their spare time using drugs and having a few run-ins with the law. After a year in high school, he still had zero credits to show…
Before I came to Cookson Hills, I visited and took a tour. I thought it was amazing! I was excited about the horses and how small the school was. I have always been fascinated with horses – ever since I was a little girl. And I was drawn to the smaller school because I…
Sometimes, when you are involved in Kingdom work, it’s easy to get discouraged. The world is fallen and messed up and can leave us feeling disheartened. There are times at Cookson Hills when it’s hard to remain encouraged and hopeful because of the choices the kids make while they’re here or after they leave.…
Horses are absolutely hilarious. I love them. There is nothing more thrilling than getting on a horse and riding it until you feel like you and the horse are one. It’s an amazing thing than can only be fully known and understood with experience. There are so many things I have learned about myself…
Have you ever had a conviction that is hard to put into words? That is how I am feeling as I write this. I need you to see a part of my heart which is always a difficult thing. We have just finished the season of gift giving in remembrance of the gift of God’s…
College Classic is a Christian College Basketball tournament hosted by Cookson Hills every January. The teams play back-to-back for 3 days straight and they stay in the homes of staff members and houseparents, eating their meals in the dining hall. They connect with all the kids and earn loyal fans from each of their…
Vanessa was ready for a new start. At the age of 15, she had already experienced countless wounds through sexual and emotional abuse. She had learned to stuff her emotions instead of talking. She was hurting. She needed a way out. That’s when she heard about Cookson Hills. She was interested right away because…
One of my struggles as a teacher has been trying to find ways to make my students interested in what we’re learning about in class. Believe me when I tell you that I’ve tried many techniques over the years: real world scenarios, odd facts relating to the lesson, demonstrations, lab experiments, student projects…you get…
During a break week, 21 elementary students visited the Amazeum. Hear about their experience here! Cookson Hills provides students with various opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. During a one of our break weeks, we boarded 21 elementary students on a bus to check out the Amazeum in Bentonville. It was advertised to…
Imagine this: you are in a brand new place with no friends and no idea what will come next. For Marissa, this was her reality when she arrived at Cookson Hills. At first, she was nervous. She knew from her past that making friends can be difficult and she wasn’t sure who she could…
You never know how long you’ll have them. With four months of stability and a full house, our focus as houseparents was on building family relationships, making memorable experiences together, and helping kids meet their plan of care goals. I took pride in our infrequent turnover of children; we had not had a kid leave…
She came to my classroom like the others. She had her own story, a story with too much pain and sadness for someone so young. Her nine years of life had injured her tender heart. She arrived at Cookson Hills with a wounded heart. Unlike many of my little ones, her pain was much…
Before Cookson Hills, I was a lost and rebellious child. I caused my family lots of emotional pain because of my daily choices. I was hurt as a child, but I didn’t know how to deal with it. I was asking for help in all the wrong ways and turned to the wrong crowds for…
There’s a lot more to vacation that just fun and games. What comes to mind when you think of a family vacation? Long road trips? Fun adventures? Sibling arguments? Crazy car games? Well these are all bound to be included in a Cookson Family Vacation. Every year, houseparents are given the opportunity to take…
Yesterday I got home from traveling to Ozark Christian College with some of our High School students for a Worship Event. I love and dread going on these trips. I dread them because of too little sleep (on the floor!) and not being able to control my food choices. However, I love them because…
Like a maze we make our way through life Focused on money instead of man and wife In the beginning we find our way By the end we’ve gone astray It seems like this maze has no end The strangers you passed, you once called friends Maybe finding the way out isn’t the key…
918-948-6300 60416 OK-10, Kansas, OK 74347 Contact Us
© Cookson Hills | A 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization
