Dear Friends and Family,

As some of you know, I recently got accepted and awarded an amazing scholarship to Midland, a boarding school in Los Olivos, California. The school is set on 2,700 acres of beautiful land, just 30 minutes from the ocean.

I want to go to Midland for many reasons. One is that the school limits how much time we can spend on devices and what technology we can access, and students do not have their phones on campus, which feels huge to me. I notice how much precious time phones take up, and I am truly looking forward to not having mine at school. Another aspect of Midland that I am so excited about is all the time I will be spending outside, as the beautiful landscape has so much to offer and I am excited to explore it. Yet another reason I want to go is because of the small, working community I will be a part of and the cabins where I will live with other girls—it all sounds so exciting!

The thing that I am OVER THE MOON about, however, is that I have the opportunity to bring my dear horse, Delilah, with me. Delilah is a 3-year-old (almost 4!) Quarter Horse mare. A year ago, after 6 years with a different amazing horse, I purchased sweet Delilah. Already, it has been one of the best journeys of my life—one filled with deep, deep love and immense learning for both of us. I feel so very grateful that she gets to come with me to California, and that we get to continue our story together. Animals’, and especially horses’, care and communication are very important to me. These creatures have so much to offer us if we let them show us. I look forward to learning and adding to our toolbox while at Midland, and also hopefully inspiring others.

Over the years, I have loved the responsibility of working to have my horse and to take lessons. It has shown me that hard work pays off and helps you realize what your true values are. However, horses are quite expensive (worth every penny, of course!), and I can’t do it alone.

So I am reaching out to see if anyone would like to help me raise money to ship Delilah down to California and pay for her board while I am there, since I won’t have a job during the school year. This summer, I will be working a lot—doing what I love best: helping the horses, going with my trainer to clinics, and saving as much as I can for Delilah’s board, veterinary care and shipment to California.

If you would like to help us get there and experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I would be incredibly thankful. Any bit helps, and you will always be remembered as a part of this experience.

With abundant love,

Maryah & Delilah