Brittni Crocker used to get easily distracted in class until she started horsing around with a new friend.
Brittni, who is in year 10 at Phoenix P-12 Community College, has found that time spent twice a week with horse January has turned your schooling life around. She is one of several girls taking part in the school's Equine Assisted Learning Program at Clarendon's Unicorn Park & Stud Equestrian Centre. The program is being run by Equine Learning Experiences Australia's Emily McVeigh.
"I just love being around the horses. I feel safe and calm in a quiet environment. It’s definitely helped me with a lot of my classes. If I get distracted now, I can solve it with five different solutions I’ve learnt with January"
Phoenix senior school student manager Anna Coloe said many of the girls doing the program had social or schooling issues. “It’s based around being in connection with yourself,” Ms Coloe said. “It’s beneficial in the senior school where they can struggle with boundaries, attendance and relationships with other girls. It’s about bringing them back to themselves. It’s all about getting them tools to help with school, teachers and employment.” Ms Coloe said one student who undertook the program last semester due to low self-esteem issues had recently given a speech to be a 2014 house captain. “It’s helping them with little steps,” she said.
Brittni Crocker & January Jones