Sam's Final Project

The Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding is an organization that strives to improve the quality of life for physically, mentally, and emotionally challenged individuals. Based in Rockford, Michigan, Equest has a unique program that integrates academic, social and physical skills, using the horse as a catalyst. In 1990, Equest was established as a State of Michigan non-profit corporation and is currently serving around 160 riders, ranging in age from 2-94. Equest would not survive without the help of their many volunteers. Just last year, the program’s success was made possible with over 35,000 hours of volunteer service. The volunteers do many tasks; they prep horse, sidewalk, shovel poop, and much more. They interact, assist and encourage the riders through their lessons. The first time I visited Equest there were Veterans there from Grand Rapids that were very chatty and excited to ride the horses. They groomed and interacted with the horses, and then they got to ride the horses. Brushing the horses not only calmed the horses, but also the Veterans. Many of the Vets had handicaps, but this didn’t prevent them from the experience of riding a horse. The horses gave them a sense of peace that they are not familiar with. Equest is improving the lives of individuals with special needs through the power of their 24 horses. Everyday Equest does lessons for children and adults, who are blind, have ADHD, and more disabilities in which riding gives them freedom. The arena is a rectangle barn that has items along the walls that enhance their sensor skills. For example, a mirror, mini basketball hoop and much more that benefit their cognitive, social, and emotional skills. Each volunteer has a kind and giving spirit, in which they assist the special needs riders during the therapy sessions and work with the horses in the barn. There are many different reasons why they choose to volunteer at Equest, but they all desire to make a difference in another’s life. The guidance, safety, and encouragements that the volunteer provides enhance the therapeutic riding lessons. These lessons challenge the retired citizens and children who have disabilities and give them new abilities that they have never had. Equest has many programs for therapeutic riding; music therapy on horseback, their new sensory trail, horses for heroes and much more activities that involve a true nonjudgmental love and friendship with the therapy horses.

Veteran, Steve Campbell grooms Sandee. He enjoys interacting with the horses at Equest two times a month.  

      Veterans trot and weave between cones in the arena. With experience, some Veterans ride without side walkers.

    Horses and riders circle the arena, stopping at the sensory objects along the wall.

   High school volunteer, Amanda Harms, feeds Charlie who is ready to go into the arena. The horses are fed about three times a day.

     A volunteer brings in a horse from the outside stables.

         Therapy horse, Barney eats his oat from a bucket in the barn, waiting to be used in the arena.

  Volunteers Sarah Lee, Whitney Lambert, and Allison Cook side walk Billy and his horse Boo around the arena.

           Volunteers help the riders prepare to saddles and mount the horses.

         Youth rider, Emily, peacefully takes a lap around the arena on Rosie the horse.

 Horses are done with grooming and now await their time in the arena.

Ali Fielder [Photo Essay] | Alyssa Wychers

Ali Fielder, MCA | A Photo Essay

By Alyssa Wychers

        Alison Fielder, a sophomore at Grand Rapids Community College, does her job with joy. Currently, she works as a Merchandise and Customer Assist (MCA) employee at the Sears store in Grandville, Michigan, where she has been for almost two years. There she does a variety of things, including cleaning out the fitting rooms (which are often extremely messy), putting out new merchandise, straightening the store, and making sure all the price signs are correct. Other parts of Ali’s job include taking phone calls, helping out at the cash registers, and marking down items. She is always smiling, joking, and spreading her joy into other people’s lives, no matter what she’s doing. Even when there’s a tough situation or an angry customer, she always tries to stay positive and work the problem out as best as she can. Even though sometimes her job is frustrating and tiring, she always pulls through it with a smile on her face. Ali is admired, not only by customers, but by her coworkers as well because of her friendly and outgoing attitude to each and every person. Most importantly, Ali’s work as an MCA truly shows her amazing faith in God and her strong commitment to spreading His love to everyone around her. She is kind, patient, and caring, even in situations where most would not be. Her attitude and actions speak in a loud voice to everyone she comes in contact with, and illustrate her strong foundation with Christ as her Savior.

Ali Fielder works as an MCA at the Sears store in Grandville, Michigan.

Ali works on the first floor of the store, handling mostly clothing.

 Part of Ali's job includes putting out new merchandise that the store has gotten in, and she always makes sure to have fun while doing it.

 Ali cleans the fitting room with the help of co-worker and friend Rachel Faught.

Ali also works in the back room of the store, where she prints signs and finds other things she needs to do her job.

Straightening the clothing racks and tables is a huge part of an MCA's job.

Ali arranges everything by style, color, and size to keep the store neat and easy to shop in.

Ali puts up the store signage in the front window to let customers know about deals and sales.

Ryan, an associate who works in the storage room, always gets a laugh out of scaring Ali, who never fails to scream and then laugh at herself.

Ali works on the register when the cashiers need help.

 Ali and other MCA's learn how to fold clothing quickly and neatly due to their job.

 Ali does many things as an MCA, and Sears is lucky to have her as an employee.

Research Project 2- RJ Alicea

Tim Hetherington spent 10 months in Afganistan in 2007 with a small group of soldiers documenting every day life. He filmed his trip as well, making a film called Restrepo. I picked out a small group of pictures from his photo essay that I thought were the most impactful to me. his pictures capture raw emotion of soldiers, often when they are alone. His photos opened the eyes of americans to just how young these soldiers were and how much stress and responsibility was thrust on them. Tim was most well known for his Afganistan pictures, and later traveled to Libya where he was killed in a mortar attack.

RJ Alicea and Maria Hauch HW 5

 “Honestly, sometimes it is to forced and overbearing and pushed me away”

~Jamie Oudman

“It’s affects me in a positive way because Christ is in every aspect of this campus from classes and other things”

~Sekret Mcintyre

“ Helps me to be more open in sharing my problems and talking to people about my faith and not having to worry about being judge”

~Emma Beltz

“ It’s a much more friendly environment which makes everyone more positive”

~Philip Jacques

“Religion on campus is inner woven throughout my day. Between chapel, classes and small groups its hard not to be encouraged with scripture and bible principals”

~Randy LePlatt

Talking to these students about life on campus was really interesting. We had a lot of different answers, but mostly students loved how friendly and positive campus was in regards to religion. I think that sometimes religion can get thrown around very easily, especially on a christian campus, and can become very meaningless. On a christian campus every one assumes that you are on the same spiritual level as them, it is refreshing to know that students still do take their religion seriously and can express themselves in between classes and not get stuck in the "christian college" mentality.
-RJ