November 4 marks an exciting milestone for Children's Home Society of South Dakota as children receiving residential treatment at Black Hills Children's Home officially move into their new home in Rapid City.
After years of planning, construction and preparation, the transition from the longtime Rockerville campus to the new Rapid City facility is complete for the children. The move represents a new chapter in the organization's history and a significant investment in the care and treatment of children who have experienced trauma.
For generations, the Rockerville campus has been a place where children have received care, education and support during some of the most challenging times in their lives. While the location is changing, the commitment to helping children heal, learn and grow remains the same.
Throughout the past week, staff have been busy packing, organizing and transporting belongings from Rockerville and the Lincoln School building to the new campus. Behind the scenes, teams have worked to prepare classrooms, living spaces and common areas for the children's arrival.
But for the children, the excitement began even before moving day.
On October 28, children from Black Hills Children's Home took a special field trip to explore the new campus. They toured their school, visited their living areas and got their first look at the bedrooms they would soon call their own.
Their reactions captured what this move means on a personal level. "Wow, I have my own window!" one child exclaimed.
"This room is just mine?" another asked.
Two boys were excited to discover they would share a bedroom and immediately began helping each other unpack and organize their belongings. In another living area, children gathered around a table for a game of Uno, while others talked about stocking their refrigerator with snacks and making brownies.
One child had already arranged photos of his family along his bedroom window.
Outside, the new playground was an immediate hit. As the children explored, one enthusiastically declared, "This playground rocks."
For Volunteer & Development Coordinator Abby Sharp, seeing the children's excitement was a powerful reminder of why this project matters.
"There was a moment that I caught myself staring out the window, watching all the smiles on their faces as they were playing outside—coming from an employee perspective—it makes all the bad days fade away when you get to see them happy!"
Today, the anticipation becomes reality as the children officially make the move from Rockerville to Rapid City.
The new campus provides an environment designed to support the residential treatment, education and everyday needs of the children served by Black Hills Children's Home. Beyond the classrooms and living spaces, it offers opportunities for children to build routines, create memories and continue their healing journeys.
For the children, the significance of this new chapter may be found in the simplest things: a bedroom to make their own, a window overlooking the outdoors, a place to gather with friends or a playground to explore.
For Children's Home Society, today's move marks the culmination of years of work and the beginning of many more years of serving children and families in western South Dakota.
Welcome home!