Two years ago, the University of Minnesota told us that a change was coming to the program as we knew it. They gathered a team of coordinators, educators, and other stakeholders in these bridging programs to come up with a plan together that made the most sense. Ultimately, there was some concern with the new model. After months of collaboration, continued work and a ton of planning a new model came up that created a sustainable way for the program could continue. Now, we have both in county and cross county days of our program. The in county days for McLeod For Tomorrow look different depending on which community we are in.
December brought us to Brownton and Stewart; one of my favorite days! Of course, I am biased as a Stewart resident, but the tours are often favorites. There were even two new tours for me!
Our Time in Brownton
Our day started off with something new: A break out box! The cohort was divided into two and the teams raced against each other and the clock to crack the codes to break out. Some people got super competitive, but they all worked together to be totally rad while we listened to a themed playlist. Did I forget to mention that it was a 90’s break out? Complete with burnt cd’s, Tamagotchi’s, T9 texting among other “vintage” things. This activity required the cohort to work together as a team, communicate during times of stress, and work with different personalities and strengths. It was a great time and I am excited to try this again in the future!
After the breakout, we moved on to the city center which used to be the Brownton school. In the basement, there is a memorabilia room full of Brownton high and McLeod West relics. Including this prom cape embroidered with every prom
queen’s name for over 50 years! If you are in the area, I highly recommend checking it out. And not just for the blackmail senior photos!
Next, we toured UFC, the second new tour for me. UFC is a company with a lot more to it than what you might think driving by. Not only that, but they were great hosts welcoming us into their business. We appreciate their partnership!
On to Stewart
Form-A-Feed in Stewart sponsored us for lunch and a tour. A long-time tour destination for MFT, Form-A-Feed never disappoints! With over 1000 ingredients, they make specialty feeds to meet their customer’s needs. We enjoyed seeing the inside of the operation. You can also buy feed from them directly in bags if you don’t want to have a full semi delivery.
We finished up our time in Stewart with packaging food at Food for Kidz before wrap up at Cactus Jacks II. Overall, this in county day for McLeod For Tomorrow was full of excitement and highlighting what makes Brownton and Stewart unique.
