How One Summer Changed my Life

I worked as a camp counselor for my local equestrian center, called the Columbia Horse Center in Laurel, Maryland. Every summer and winter break the center was used as a day camp for children ages six to fourteen who had an interest in horseback riding. During one of the two week summer sessions, I encountered a girl named Ellie who had autism. Since I had never worked one-on-one with a child with autism, I was a little hesitant due to the fear of not being able to connect with Ellie, like I did with the other children at camp. I tried to suppress my fear of failure, by going about my normal routines. I showed Ellie the stalls and let her feed the horses. She always wanted to help with things around the barn, so while the other counselors looked after the rest of the children in camp, I let Ellie help with some of my chores and duties. I usually called her my little helper, and her response was always a big, cheeky grin and a loud laugh.

           Ellie taught me life skills that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. She taught me how to problem solve, how to figure out different ways to approach a difficult situation, and how to make the most out of what I have. Working with children who have autism (or any child with any disability) can have a great impact on one’s life, as it did mine. Not only will it improve their lives and show them that they are loved, cared for, and thought of, but it will also improve your life, by being open minded and accepting things that seem different or abnormal. One should always find a little time to spend at least one day with someone with a disability.

BSU fashion show

As a girl who modeled when she was younger, fashion shows were all too familiar. Yet I had never been to nor participated in a school-funded show. So, as I entered college I decided to attend a BSU fashion show, I was surprised by how different it was from others I have seen in the past. I was particularly interested in the fact that there was dancing. I have never seen models dance in a fashion show before, so witnessing this was an eye-opener for me. Although, it did have its differences, I could still see the similarities between the BSU show and others I have been to. Such as, requiring heels that were no less than six inches and wearing clothes made by local designers. Watching the BSU fashion show inspired me to join another school-funded fashion show. Now I am very excited to be participating in the upcoming ASA fashion show, which will take place on April 5th.