Professional Development Grant Applicants
Admin Information
Date Submitted: May 10, 2017
Application Number: PDG-15
Admin Decision: Approved – Edit
Date of Decision: September 16, 2017
Decision Comments:
$400 grant approved. Report (blog or video post) required no later than 15 days after the training session is completed.
Applicant Information
Name: Mariah JOHNSON
Title/Position: Therapeutic Riding Instructor in training
Address Line 1: 5825 MCINGVALE RD
Place of Employment
Farm/Program Name: Southern Reins Center for Equine Therapy
Supervisor’s Name: Sara Bryant
Supervisor’s Title: Head instructor and equine director
Address Line 1: 5750 Conger Rd
Experience
Years in Position: 0.5
Average Hours Per Week: 20
Do you have any certifications or licenses? No
Support Request
Is the request for a conference or meeting? Yes
Conference/Meeting Name: PATH International OSWC
Hotel/Conference Center Name: STAR (Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding)
Provide justification for this request.
The clinic taking place July 20-23 at STAR in Lenior City,TN is an on-site workshop and certification clinic. This clinic is the 2ND step required by PATH International to become a Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor. The 2nd step also requires 25 mentored teaching hours (I have over 100 hours). I have been volunteering with Southern Reins for almost 2 years (since the beginning of the program). Last fall I began taking the necessary steps to become a certified instructor. One of the steps I took (the BIG one) was leaving the veterinary field that I had been part of for almost 17 years to take a job as a local schoolbus driver. As a bus driver I am available to teach lessons days, evenings, and weekends. This would not have been possible if I still worked at an animal hospital. With the job change also came a change in pay. My husband and I together decided that a few months with a tight bank account would be worth the end result. It has been about 9 months and due to my paycut and some unforseen expenses (dead a/c!) we are struggling a little to stay out of the red. I was made aware of your program and decided financial help, any financial help, would take some of the pressure off.Being involved with a therapeutic riding program these last 2 years has been the best therapy for me! as well as the participants I’ve met. I have ridden horses my entire life and always wanted a job involving horses. The opportunity has never presented itself until now. I look forward to beginning a new chapter in my life. It is kinda scary leaving a field I’ve been in for almost 20 years but I will still be helping people and animals, just in a different way. The fact that those animals will be horses makes it all that much better!
Provide a detailed budget.
Cost of workshop/certification testing is $750Hotel stay is $87 per night. 4 nights =$350Cost in gas will be about 2 tanks (~700 miles round trip) =$50Then however much food will cost. It is my understanding that breakfast and lunch are provided. I would have to eat at home anyway so I am not including food into my calculations. So we have 750+350+50$1150 is the grand total I will have to have to attend.
Other expected sources of support (including self-support).
My husband was able to cash in a few sick days at his job (bless him) so I have $750 so far. I am not expecting any assistance from any other sources. I have a few things listed for sale on resale sites that might gain me another $100 if I’m lucky (I can use that towards food).If possible could you please cover the remaining amount of $400 that will pay for my hotel and gas costs? Thank you for your time and consideration. Any amount will be helpful and greatly appreciated.
Signatures
I/we certify that all of the information contained herein is correct and true.
Applicant Signature: 