Tupelo High School requires that all seniors complete a senior project in order to graduate.  The student picks a topic, and the product has to be able to give back to the community.  The process of the senior project is to engage students in a real-world setting where creativity is required along with hard work and a lot of effort to achieve the final product.  Each student is required to do a minimum of 20 hours of community service toward his or her product, and document the results in a presentation that is given to evaluators just before graduation.  I have chosen to do my senior project with Have a Heart Horse Rescue (HAHHR) with Sheila Horton as my mentor.

            My original proposal was to have the boys from Alpha House group home spend a day at the HAHHR facility in Coila, MS.  I proposed to spend the day having the boys interact with the horses through horseback riding, grooming, cleaning stalls, and petting the animals.  The one-on-one time between child and animal will benefit both by taking them out of their daily routine and putting them in a situation where they will depend on each other for love and attention. 

            So far, I have made two separate visits to the HAHHR facility in Coila, MS.  I have spent time with Sheila to see how she cares for and interacts with the horses, and to also discuss details and make plans for the upcoming product day.  I have also taken pictures, toured her facility, and have helped with any small requests she has made of me. 

            Sheila felt it was best during the product day, if we had the children interact with the horses through one specific activity instead of several as stated in my original proposal.  She felt that having a wash day for the horses would be more than enough interaction considering the number of horses and children involved.  I still need to coordinate with Sheila on the children that will be involved in the product day’s activities.  We will update the status as we progress with the project.