The Program: A Dundee Ranch Reunion

Depending on who you ask, the memories of Dundee Ranch Academy in Costa Rica are a mix of pain and healing or nostalgia and gratitude. It was a place that was meant to help troubled teens find their way, but while it was beneficial for some of us, for some others, it became a nightmare that has been difficult to wake up from. The recent docuseries "The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping" shed light on the dark side of WWASP, the organization that ran Dundee Ranch. For those of us who lived through the traumas of abuse, it was a validation of those experiences and a reminder of the struggles many of us faced long after leaving the academy.

After over 20 years, a group of former students have come together through a private Facebook group to plan Dundee's first reunion. It will be a chance to reconnect with old friends, share our stories, and honor the memory of those who are no longer with us.

This reunion is not just a chance to reminisce about our past, but also an opportunity to support each other in our present struggles. We want to create a safe space where we can lean on each other for strength and understanding, as some of us have struggled with substance abuse and legal issues since leaving Dundee.

The organizers of the reunion, Darren O'Connor, Sarah Rogers, Ferns Francois, Stephanie Powless, and Daniel Black, have been working tirelessly to make this event a reality. But the costs of travel, accommodations, and activities can be a barrier for some of us who are still trying to rebuild our lives since Dundee Ranch. That's why we are reaching out to our community for support.

We understand that money is tight for many people, and we want to make it clear that our gratitude is all we have to offer in return. There will be no special perks or benefits for donating to our cause. Your contribution will go directly towards subsidizing the costs of the reunion for those of us who need it most.

Please consider donating to our reunion fund and help us come together to heal, remember, and support each other on our journey to reconnect. Thank you for your generosity and compassion.

A very special thank you to the Director and Executive Producer of “The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping” Katherine Kubler, a former student of Ivy Ridge Academy for putting together a riveting account of some of the harsher experiences and stories from the program.