Young woman teaches girl with disabilities to ride a horse

Community service is something Amanda Taylor has always participated in, but didn’t realize her selfless efforts would be recognized in the long run.

Taylor, a senior at Concrete High School, applied to The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a national awards program that honors young people in middle and high school levels for their community service. Taylor was one of eight students recognized in Washington State as she spent almost two years teaching a young girl with cerebral palsy to ride a horse.

Several applicants were selected from each state as the Local Honorees and two of them were selected as State Honorees. The latter receives a $1,000 award and a trip to Washington, D.C. to attend a special honorary ceremony.

Although Taylor was not selected as a State Honoree, she will receive a bronze medallion and a Certificate of Achievement. Her total community service hours will also allow her to receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award, which qualifies her application for the possibility of receiving a full-ride college scholarship.

Taylor said she was surprised when her principal Don Beazizo at Concrete High School informed her of the award. To be selected for a statewide award “just blew me away,” she said.

“I didn’t think it could happen,” Taylor said.

She said her family has always been involved with community service projects.

“We’re a big community service family,” Taylor said. “We give as much as we can all the time.”

Taylor has participated in various community service activities with her 4-H club, has helped plant trees with Skagit Land Trust and both she and her brother recently organized a Valentine’s Day party for residents at Where the Heart Is assisted living community in Burlington.

But out of all the service she has provided, she said she chose to use the experience teaching the young girl, Jayme Wells, to ride a horse for her submission as it was the best community service she has provided.

Taylor, 18, has ridden horses since she was 9 years old and has been involved with various equine activities and organizations since then. She is an active member of 4-H, competing locally and statewide, and also competes in rodeo events. Taylor met Wells at the Skagit County Fairgrounds while riding with family and fellow 4-H members.

Wells, who was 13 when she met Taylor, would watch the group of equestrians ride their horses. Wells had not been exposed to horseback riding and was diagnosed with diabetes and slight cerebral palsy.

Taylor took Jayme under her wing, said Stan Wells, Jayme’s father. He said he thought it was professional of Taylor to be willing to share the information of horses with his daughter. The Taylor family has a real passion for what they do with horses, he said.

Taylor said in just over a year she taught Jayme the basics of horses beginning with grooming, horse safety and different parts of horse equipment. Jayme was then shown how to lead a horse and eventually progressed to riding the horse.

The accomplishment of Jayme riding the horse brought so much joy to both the Taylor and Wells families, Taylor said. It was a huge accomplishment knowing she was able to help someone in a way that changed their life.

“It was emotional,” Taylor said. “When she got on the horse I didn’t realize how much of an impact it made to her.”

Taylor said Jayme was anxious to learn about horses and was adamant about learning more. When Taylor was going to show Jayme how to put on a saddle, Jayme already knew how to do it because she had researched it, Taylor said. Michelle Taylor, Amanda’s mother, said she recalled Jayme always mentioning random facts about horses that she learned from all of her reading.

Jayme has learned a lot about horses since working with Amanda, Wells said. A horse is not just a horse to her, he said, she will tell you what type of horse it is. Since Amanda has worked with Jayme, his daughter has improved in school, and when she researches something she really digs into the information.

Learning to ride has helped Jayme become more self-assured and confident in her ability to make her own decisions, Wells said.

Michelle said the family is proud of Amanda’s accomplishment with helping Jayme to learn about horses and have the opportunities to ride. She said she noticed that while Amanda helped Jayme her daughter grew from the experience and gained more self confidence. She learned to be a bit less self-centered and more God-centered, she said.

Amanda said she plans to continue her contribution of community service into college and that it feels good to know she was able to help someone accomplish their dream.

“I just enjoy helping out anywhere I can,” she said. “It’s better to do something than stand around and watch,” she said.