Youth Edification Equine Human Association And Alliance

Building a better community to protect Diversity, Love, Respect, Value, and Dignity.

Why horses?

Horses can teach us ways to heal and grow in countless ways. Their non-judgemental disposition can teach us valuable lessons, new ways of healing and learning. Horses can bring a connection between teachers, counselors, and peer interaction by supporting self-awareness and empowerment for a safer school environment.

YEEHAAA Program

OUR WHY

In the state of Utah, the rate of suicide and bullying was found to be growing at a rate much higher than the national average. With suicide as the leading cause of death for children under the age of 18. Children today face bullying challenges at home and online. Leading to higher rates of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and suicide attempts.

OUR PROGRAM

YEEHAAA was started in 2004 by Caron Hunter while working at Juvenille Justice Services in Utah. During her time there, she created a program called Through Our Eyes that focused on our sensory receptors, mindfulness, and fostering a beginner’s mind to restore curiosity and openness.

Later, YEEHAAA became founding members of the ARCH, Arenas for Change Association, to create a curriculum with horses and other animals that improved our original curriculum. YEEHAAA now works in schools and other programs to create an educational experience to improve overall self esteem and confidence, improve relationships with peers, adults, and counselors around them, and improve overall well being.

OUR GOALS

Our curriculum meets the Educational Standards for English/Language Arts and Health. While working through the curriculum in schools we aim to teach children about:

-The beginner’s mind and explore the world through a new set of eyes.

-Our sensory receptors and how we can use mindfulness to move through our stories.

-Experiential Learning by working hands on with horses and other animals to relate to the world around us.

YEEHAAA at a glance

In our experiential learning program, students work alongside horses, trained equine specialists, counselors, and teachers to gain an understanding of boundaries, relationship to the world around them, and how to respect others.

Our work in action...

Our segment with abc4, Channel CW30 with Rosie Nguyen. Thank you Salt Lake Center Science for Education students, teachers, and administration to continue this amazing work! Here is the segment. Enjoy!

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"I feel like with YEEHAAA they are able to develop deeper and richer relationships with the horses they are working with as well as with the peers they are out there with. They are able to develop empathy and relationship skills to the world around them. "

"If another student is thinking about enrolling in the YEEHAAA program, I would tell them about how it can help you connect with others in your environment and it can be therapeutic."

"The student portfolio portion works to help people know they aren't alone and see the work they have done."

In response to the program, "I have already seen progress in seeing kids learn how to stand up for bullying among their peers and the rates of suicide. The statistics say they it only takes one person to help a person who is facing suicidal thoughts and our students are learning this and how to help others."

"Through working with the horses and other animals they can relate to their stories. Many of these animals have been abused in the past or have stories the students can relate to."