Make sure to check out the Work to Ride booth this Sunday July 16th! Polo player Kareem Rosser and other Work to Ride youth players will be offering mini polo lessons, giving away swag to the crowd and will be auctioning off Hall of Famer Mariano Aguerre’s signed jersey. Work to Ride kids will be walking around selling tickets for the auction and sharing more about this great organization.
Founded in 1994, Work to Ride is a non-profit community-based prevention program that aids disadvantaged urban youth through constructive activities centered on horsemanship, equine sports and education. Work to Ride is designed as a long-term program for 7 to 19-year-old youth who must commit to a minimum of one year of participation. It is, however, expected that participants will choose to remain with the program through high school graduation. Participants develop discipline, responsibility, and life skills through training, riding, and performing horse care and barn management chores. They also develop confidence, self-esteem, and the skills necessary to complete successfully in their chosen activities. In addition to acquisition of life-skills, Work to Ride also emphasizes the necessity of academic achievement. Staff and volunteers provide after school tutoring to help students maintain the passing grades required for program participation. To date, Work to Ride has had over 200 kids go through the program, and at least 80% have graduated high school. 60 of the 200 participants have gone on to a college or university.
Postage Stamp Farm’s Shariah Harris (WTR ’16) first got her start in polo through Work to Ride and recently completed her first year at Cornell University, where she received a full academic scholarship. As captain of the women’s polo team, she led Cornell to the national semi-finals and is now playing for the first time in a high-goal tournament right here at Greenwich Polo Club.