Good thing the horses at Windrush Farm aren't camera shy.
The equines seemed ready for their close-ups last Thursday when a camera crew from the CBS Evening News visited the Boxford nonprofit. The news crew filmed students from Esperanza Academy, a privately funded all-girls middle school in Lawrence for at-risk populations, who have been coming to Windrush for two years to ride and care for horses.
The network followed Esperanza students for an entire day — which included their regular Thursday afternoon horseback riding lessons at Windrush — for a news segment on alternative schools.
As of Wednesday, after Town Crossings' press time, the segment filmed about Esperanza was slated to run June 12, on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.
Windrush Farm is a facility that offers horseback riding as mental, physical and emotional therapy for people of all ages with disabilities, as well as for veterans and at-risk youth.
Before visiting Windrush, none of the Esperanza girls had ever ridden a horse, and most had not experienced a farm setting, said Susan Casey, director of development at Esperanza.
On Thursday, the camera crew followed the girls as they brushed their horses, put saddles on them, and brought the horses to Windrush's indoor rink and trails through the woods for riding time.
A volunteer stays with every rider during their time at Windrush, giving encouragement, especially to those a little nervous about getting on such a big animal.
"I've learned how to trot, steer, how to take the reins off and put them away ... and how to woah," said 12-year old Liz Ferreira, her eyes widening as her horse, Cadance, lurched underneath her. "I like riding. I like how it feels to get up high (on the horse) ... it's fun and it gets you away."
Esperanza riders are matched with the same horses and Windrush volunteers each time they come, so they become familiar and comfortable at lessons. Liz said seeing the horses and volunteers is her favorite part of each visit.
"They learn a therapeutic kind of lesson. Our girls are at-risk not physically, but because of their low income status," said Casey, as she watched Esperanza girls leading their horses out of the Windrush barn. "This is like bringing them to another world. If you ask the girls what their favorite thing is, they'll say 'Windrush.' They learn confidence, how to work together."
Esperanza students visit Windrush as part of their exploratory curriculum, said Casey; small groups of girls take turns coming for horseback-riding lessons each Thursday afternoon. The girls also visit the farm for a week in the summer, for Windrush's clinic for inner-city youth.
Esperanza students are selected based on financial need. The school has 62 students, all from Lawrence, in fifth through eighth grades.
Esperanza student Milcy Perez said she likes coming to Windrush because both the horses and the volunteers are nice.
"I had never ridden a horse before," Milcy said, sitting atop Clifford, a tall, caramel-colored horse. "I like riding horses, walking over things and jumping."
Thirteen-year-old Benita Kalala rides Tippy, a brown horse with a kind face, each time she comes to Windrush.
Her favorite thing about riding Tippy is "that he's slow," she said with a shy smile.
Windrush Farm is on Brookview Road, not far from the North Andover line. Founded in 1964, the farm works with more than 300 riders each year.
Amanda Carey Hogan, executive director of Windrush, said although having national media coverage of the farm is great, the self-confidence the Esperanza girls gain through lessons at Windrush is just as important.
"Each of these students will be challenged, physically, psychologically and intellectually, here at Windrush. The staff at Esperanza has made this all possible. What a wonderful school and such a worthwhile program investing in our youth — this deserves national coverage," Hogan said in an e-mail to Town Crossings.
"Windrush is delighted to be considered to be an integral part of the program at Esperanza. It has been inspirational to see these young students come to Windrush each session with absolutely no experience, be so ready to meet new challenges and be able to thrive in this unconventional learning environment. The skills they have learned through caring for and managing their horses will hold them in good stead throughout their lives."
From Katie Couric to Boxford
A CBS news crew recently spent a day filming students from Esperanza Academy who have been coming to Windrush Farm in Boxford for two years to ride horses. Esperanza is a privately funded, all-girls middle school in Lawrence for low-income families.
CBS made its way to Boxford via an interesting path, involving Susan Casey, director of development at Esperanza.
Casey, who was involved with the planning and founding of Esperanza in 2006, recently bid on and won a weekend trip to New York City at a charity auction. The trip included sitting in on a taping of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.
After the broadcast, Susan Casey and her husband met Couric, who had just aired a piece on the low graduation rates of inner-city schools. Susan Casey had brought a packet of information about Esperanza for Couric, which included an Esperanza polo shirt and letters from the girls in a hand-decorated envelope.
Esperanza sparked Couric's interest because they have above-the-norm graduation rates for low-income populations.
"She was so genuinely interested," Casey said. "I never thought for a minute we'd have time with her (Couric) alone."
Three weeks later, Casey got a call from CBS and they sent the camera crew for a segment on the school, she said.
