Meet Our Teen Advisory Board
Equestrians, front row from left: Tatiana Marcelino-Vento, Siana Solarazza, Rita Hurley, Roxy White, G.G. DeBlase, Mya O'Neill, and Cam Ganzer. Back row from left: Maggie Bernard and Una Carol. Director Sarah McKay behind Noble, a Percheron cross horse. — photo by Dena Porter
Taking ownership
Teen advisory board at Misty Meadows helps young people learn how to run a nonprofit.
By Abby Remer
Misty Meadows Equine Learning Center is no ordinary riding facility. Its mission is to provide a nurturing environment where horses and humans work together to transform lives. All of its offerings embody the belief that horses help us explore, learn, and grow. Their equine-assisted learning approach focuses on the development of holistic horsemanship for all of their students, whether it be riding skills, unmounted partnership exercises, or horse-care skills — with an emphasis on the ability to understand, interpret, and adjust to how horses see the world. Sarah McKay, executive director, emphasizes, “Our programs are gender-neutral and inclusive. We build social skills in all of them to have better empathy, compassion, awareness, and self-regulation, among other things.” They are also about students taking ownership.