Glowing recommendations resulted in the selection of Mary Steepleton as the recipient of the first P. Buckley Moss Society -- Anne and Matt Harbison Award. She will receive $1,000 to assist with her studies in Horse Production and Management at Ohio State University.

Mary, who lives in Youngstown, Ohio, with her mother and 17-year-old brother, attends Trumbull County Joint Vocational School in Warren. In the Equine Management Class, she has been a model student. While some students, including Mary, already had experience with horses, others did not. She enjoyed buddying with a partner and helping teach her fellow students such skills as how to saddle and groom a horse. Because of the newness of the program, the class even designed and built 10 horse stalls this year.

Mary became interested in horses because her grandfather owns a farm with horses and cows. For several years, she has assisted during summers with the haying. She hopes some day to take over the farm and breed and raise horses.

This year Mary was president of the class. She took this responsibility seriously and led her classmates through a prosperous year. She has been extremely involved in the Future Farmers of America program, serving as chaplain of the group. She achieved her FFA State Degree and ranked second in the state of Ohio in the Animal Care Program. She also placed second in an essay contest on how FFA changed her life.

Mary began volunteering at The Camelot Center, a therapeutic horseback riding center, in the fall of 1996. She prepared horses and tack for lessons, worked with some of the students who came to the program for therapy, and assisted at fundraisers. Karen Rathburn, the director, noted, "She is dependable, thoughtful, organized, and motivated. Mary does not wait to be asked to perform a task; she sees what needs to be done and has the knowledge and foresight to do it. Mary is that one volunteer that I count on when I need help above and beyond the call of duty. She is driven and motivated to succeed."

Faced with difficulties with spelling and reading, Mary often needs additional help and time with her schoolwork. She says that the greatest challenge she has had to deal with in high school is to face her disability and go on. "I have proven to so many people that even though I have a learning disability I can still be a Water Safety Instructor and lifeguard, get my FFA State Degree, and make tops in the state of Ohio in Animal Health with the FFA. I have been told that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything you want to do."

With her busy class schedule and her volunteer work, Mary has little free time for other hobbies. She has participated in swimming throughout high school. She also enjoys fishing and spending time out of doors. She enjoys working with people as well as with horses and is a proven leader.

Mary was nominated by Society member Deborah Testa. The entire Society joins Debbie in wishing Mary good luck at Ohio State in the coming years and with all her plans for her future.

Article from : Sentinel : Vol 12, No 2 : June 1998