As her fellow students rush out of school to attend practices, hang out with friends or relax at home, junior Rachel Carrell heads to the stables. But she is not there to “horse around.”

“For the last four years, I’ve taught kids with special needs how to ride horses,” Carrell said.

Carrell volunteers at Palatine stables through the NWSRA, the Northwestern Special Recreation Association. She works with kids with a variety of special needs, including those with Down Syndrome and Autism, as well as those who are blind or deaf.

Carrell’s desire to work with special needs kids started at home. Her nine-year-old brother, James, has Down Syndrome.

“James gets monthly NWSRA magazines,” she said. “I went through the magazine looking for activities that he might like, and I saw the horse therapy.”

Combining her desire to work with special needs children and her love of animals was a dream come true for Carrell.

This is not the only instance in which Carrell has demonstrated her love for animals. She has been a vegan for nearly three years and has protested the Kelly Miller circus on several occasions.

“When the circus comes, I can be more physical. I can go and express my feelings not only to them, but to people in the community,” Carrell said. “As long I’m there, I feel like I’m doing my part to educate my community. I can’t make them a vegan, but I can let them know what’s really going on.”

Carrell plans on continuing to work with special needs kids and educate others about animal rights in the future.

“I definitely plan on continuing to help with horse therapy,” she said. “My biggest goal for the future is to open a gentle farm where unwanted or abused animals could live out the rest of their lives peacefully. That is really my dream.”

By: Katie Weber