Re: Leslie High School Volunteers
I am writing to you about a very special group of young people. You see, I represent C.H.U.M. Therapeutic Riding, Inc., a therapeutic riding program in Mason for individuals with and without disabilities of all ages. Among our clients, we contract with a couple of schools to provide services for their students. Heartwood, a center based school and a part of the Ingham Intermediate School District, is among those whom we provide services to. They bring out several groups of riders at one time for three hours. To provide services to this group safely and effectively, many volunteers are required to be there. These volunteers have very important roles. They provide hands on assistance to the rider during the lesson, interaction with the riders before, during, and after the lessons, as well as assist our staff in making sure each horse is ready to receive their charge. In the past, these volunteers typically come from honor societies, clubs that represent those with outstanding academic achievements, etc. This year, at the last minute, when over 40 Heartwood riders had signed up for our services, those group’s plans could not come to fruition. The Leslie High School prevocational class, a group of amazing young people who typically do not receive good press, whose outstanding academic mark has not been made as of yet, came to the rescue. This group came together and achieved their own outstanding progress in those weeks and it was a joy to watch.
These kids had to work together as a team, communicate with each other and the rider to provide the best possible learning environment for the rider, and to problem solve for each new challenge presented them to keep everyone safe. For some, this is a big challenge. If you do not have faith in yourself, how can you help others? If social settings are difficult at best, how then will you succeed in a busy active group with a task at hand that is very important to complete because someone is counting on you? How do you deal with the unknown of a child with even more challenges than you yourself deals with daily? And how do you feel comfortable with those big animals? These kids did more than succeed, they flourished. I was amazed and honored to watch these young people grow with each interaction. I am hoping they could get some positive press from their community, they deserve it!
So many times, with programs such as ours, people watch the clients and don’t think what that activity means to the volunteer. I asked each student/staff from Leslie High School to share what they felt they were getting from being involved in the program as this program’s benefits do not stop with the riders. Here are some of those comments:
I have learned a lot from going and helping the kids. They all have problems with daily activities. I realize how fortunate I am. I have learned that this kind of activity helps kids with their physical problems.”
“I was able to help them be happy and have fun at things they like to do.”
“I learned how to help others and not judge them by their handicaps.”
“I learned how to be there for someone who needs help. Getting to know them and supporting them was important to me. I also got to know a lot about taking care of the horses.”
“I thought this was really a different way to do therapy for students who don’t walk.”
“This was challenging for me because I did not know the students initially.”
“I feel we learned a great deal about how to help people with disabilities. I also felt good that we were given and opportunity to help when several other student groups and high schools were not willing to do it.”
“I liked helping students with any problems that they might have.”
“Now I know there is more than one way to give kids therapy that they need in order to learn how to walk someday.”
“These children have shown me that I am very lucky to be able to walk and comprehend. They also showed me that you can do anything you want to if you put your mind to it. I feel I am the one being rewarded because I got the opportunity to see that I need to stop complaining and get working because I can do it. They will be the only people I will ever meet that doesn’t care what you look like or how smart you are.”
“I have helped people in need so that they can feel good about themselves and I feel good about myself doing it.”
“It changed the way I thought of them after spending time with them and having thoughts about all the wishes in their heads leaving nothing but questions in yours.”
“One child was really fun, he kept giving me ‘high fives’. I felt like a touched their lives.”
“I am always elated to find opportunities for our students that give them an opportunity to demonstrate their talents, compassion, and willingness to serve others. Learning takes place for many of our students in settings outside the classroom. (D. DeTore)”
“This activity reinforces what we are teaching in the classroom. It gives the students hands-on, practical experience with work tasks and social commitment. These opportunities are good for our students. (Craig Fry)”
“I am always grateful for my students to get an opportunity to assist someone else in the community. In addition to expanding on the curriculum inside the walls of Leslie High School, it also allows them to further define what a disability is and the degree to which one can be disabled. (George Manson)”
I appreciate the time you are taking in this lengthy letter. It is very important that the school board, members of the staff, and the community know what gifts they have in their young people right at home. Gifts that may not show up on the ACT’s or the sports arena, gifts that are endless and priceless, one’s heart and one’s time. We have seen many heroes in the press these last few months and it is refreshing that such a thing does exist. Let us now honor our own, those that give of themselves and yet feel they are the ones ‘being rewarded’. Thank yous and congratulations go out to the people in Leslie who had the foresight to allow these young adults to grow beyond the classroom and a special thank you to each student and staff member who has participated with us here at C.H.U.M. Therapeutic Riding.
Sincerely, Bonnie L. DePue, OTR
