Nonprofit to welcome female Roosevelt Middle School students to interact with its animals
Female students at Roosevelt Middle School will learn about caring for horses, goats and chickens as part of an animal husbandry course hosted by the Atwater Village-based nonprofit Taking the Reins, located on 2.5 acres near Griffith Park.
It’s not the first time that students at Roosevelt have taken courses at Taking the Reins.
A few years ago, Roosevelt began partnering with the organization to teach female students how to care for a garden, plant seeds and cook in what is called a “seed-to-skillet” course, said Misty Odett, a program coordinator and instructor at Taking the Reins.
This fall, with the organization’s garden closed until February “for rest,” the students will learn about the birds and other wildlife that live near the Los Angeles River, and learn how to care for horses, ponies, chickens, rabbits, goats and cats, she said.
For many students who live in high-density neighborhoods, the class may mark the first time they interact with animals, Odett said.
“We don’t have a lot of girls who live in single-family homes in the suburbs that can have a chicken in the backyard,” Odett said. “A lot of them can’t even have pets in their own apartment. Even the cats are a big deal here. Where we are, [in Los Angeles] it doesn’t often generate an opportunity for people to grow a garden or raise a goat.”
Each year, Taking the Reins serves more than 340 girls who range from 11 to 18 years old. The organization’s mission in specifically serving girls is tied to fostering confidence in them at a time in their lives when peer pressure can weigh heavily.
In addition to reaching out to schools, the organization works with girls and teens in foster care or those who have a parent in prison, Odett said.
When students learn to care for the animals on site, including grooming animals and maintaining a clean barn, Odett said she sees them gain confidence as they become comfortable being themselves.
“Any young girl can come onto our property, get dirty, be with animals, be silly, learn their voice [and] walk out with confidence knowing who they are,” Odett said.
The Glendale Unified School Board approved a memorandum of understanding with Taking the Reins earlier this month.
As part of the agreement, the organization will not charge students to participate and will also provide transportation from Roosevelt to its Atwater Village campus.
Nine girls at a time plan to participate in two six-week sessions beginning on Tuesday, according to a district report.
Students who want to learn more beyond the six-week sessions can apply for the organization’s weekend program to gain more experience, said Roosevelt Middle School counselor Olga Iraheta.
“Their entire mission is to support and build girls’ self-esteem and leadership skills,” said Roosevelt principal Mary Mason. “I could not speak more highly about this wonderful opportunity that this program gives to our girls.”
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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
