So I just had a meeting with my guidance counselor and his recommendation was that I base a “service project” off of what I love to do. This question didn’t take me long to answer as I spend most of my free time at the barn with my own horse, so I have started brainstorming ideas. What I’m thinking is a bit of a play off of a therapeutic riding program except instead of disabled kids I would bring inner city kids in who otherwise would never get to interact with an animal that many of us take for granted. I currently attend school in Wilmington, DE which is an area that’s not lacking in poverty, as I have begin to consider this and look at other threads I have realized that it could be a challenge. I think I have found a way to bypass some of the insurance issues which is instead of trying to start up my own program per say I would go through a local park that already had a lesson program and a therapeutic riding program in place. I would simply be adding to their program. I am a freshman in high school this year and my plan would be to start volunteering at the park with the therapeutic riding and lesson programs this summer to start getting an idea of how they run different aspects of the program. At the end of the summer I would approach them and present my idea. My school is extremely supportive of my idea and would supply our school vans to bus a few kids from their school to the park in the afternoon. I do have a few decisions to make which are, whether to have the same kids back every week or do sort of a rotation, and since I’ve never really tried to organize anything on this scale, how do I get the information out? Do I go through the local elementary schools? Also anymore input you have would be helpful! Thanks!
