Student Life

Pet Spotlight

~Elbie Thomas

Student Movie Picks

~Kaliya B.

This is my pet tortoise Amarillo. His name means 'yellow' in English, and I named him that because of the color of his shell. I didn’t know that tortoises were so active, and he always makes me laugh when I catch him running around in his habitat. Because of his tendency to flip over his water dish and make the tank dirty, his middle name is Bowser. He absolutely loves to rock climb, and it's always hilarious. He dives off the rock face-first when he's ready to get down. We don’t know his exact age, but I’m excited to spend years with the little guy !

This is my dog Dexter. He is a four-year-old Australian Cattle Husky. He loves to play, eat, and sleep and makes my family laugh all the time ! He loves to wear bowties that I make for him, and he looks so cute wearing them. Something funny he does is sit in a chair at the dinner table and begs for food. Dexter is the first pet I ever had, and I love him so much. He always makes me smile !

Hey there, VAVA Bees ! May is absolutely beautiful, full of mild, yet pleasant weather. In celebration of this month, I will give movie recommendations that are just as fun.

The Wizard of Oz - When a tornado suddenly rips through Kansas, Dorothy Gale and her dog, Toto, are whisked from their home into the magical land of Oz. They follow the yellow brick road in hopes of finding the Emerald City to meet the Wizard. On their route, they encounter a Scarecrow in need of a brain, a Tin Man with the need of a heart, and a Cowardly Lion with no courage at all. As they make it to Emerald city, they must embark on a new journey to grasp the broom of the Wicked Witch. Will they manage to get the broom, and will Dorothy ever get home? Watch this movie to find out !

Wicked - Elphaba, misunderstood because of her green skin,forges an unlikely profound friendship with Glinda, a student with an unwavering desire for popularity. As their friendship grows, they venture to Emerald City to visit the Wizard. Elphaba, now forced to be an outcast, and their friendship, soon reaching a crossroad, must now go on different paths.

Becoming an Equestrian

~Ella Kay

It all started with a toy horse called a Breyer. My parents and I decided I should try horseback riding lessons, so after searching we found a barn that looked enjoyable. We went there for my first ever lesson on 8/30/19. Oh, yes. This obsession with these beautiful creatures started in 2019. I met my first lesson horse. Her name was Roo. Then I met Java. Then Sal. Then Buck and Frosty. And then Chester. Chester sadly passed away in 2020, Roo in 2023, and Sal in 2024. I kept riding, advancing. And for those horse people, I was riding bareback from 2019 until I sat in my first saddle in 2023. We ended up moving in 2021, and I stopped riding for about seven months. I came back to the barn and started riding again in late 2021.

I was asked if I wanted to join their working student program in late 2023. I said yes, of course, because who didn’t want to shovel horse poop for four hours? A few months of chores and more bareback lessons, and I wanted to advance more. Specifically advance more in the saddle. That’s when we found the barn I am currently at. I met a sassy lesson pony named Zoe. She had the shortest mane I had ever seen. I trotted for the first time in the saddle at that first lesson with the same pony. I went to a Christmas ‘fun show’ and performed my first dressage test in December. The Introductory A test. Three months after the Christmas show, I went to my first official show and performed that same test with the same pony. We got second place in my class ! I was so excited. Meanwhile, I was still going to my first barn twice every month. I switched trainers, and only after five-and-a-half months riding Zoe, I cantered for the first time. Ever. That was one of my biggest accomplishments in my life, and still is, really. After seven months of riding at that barn on Zoe, we started working on the Intro B test.

Now in 2025, I have been riding the sassy little pony named Zoe at my second barn for two years and three months. I am currently practicing the Intro C test and completely comfortable riding bareback. ( I still have not cantered bareback yet, but the day will come soon ! ) I have ridden another horse at the second barn named Midnight. I rode him twice. I am getting farther in my dressage work, and I plan to own a farm once I am older. There has been a special bond created between Zoe and me, and now we are great partners. I make sure to give her a carrot after every lesson we do. I have big plans to go to the World Equestrian Games in a few years when I am more advanced. We are going to try some jumping soon though.

I have now been riding for six years. Zoe and I are going to compete at some shows this summer, so watch out !

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