Olivia is a very active and driven young equestrian and loves the flexibility Connections Academy gives her. She fell in love with horseback riding at the age of 10, and after purchasing her Arabian horse Sunny, she began training in dressage. Olivia attended monthly shows in 2020 where she won many ribbons. Her goal is to qualify for the State Championship and to ride at the national and international level.

“I like that Connections Academy allows me to work ahead so I can be away from school for traveling to horse shows. And when I’m not in the saddle, I can also help with barn chores. It’s amazing that I can easily arrange my schedule to both succeed academically and pursue my passion outside of school.”

Olivia also is a type 1 diabetic. She was diagnosed in 2017 and life changed drastically after the diagnosis. Being able to do schoolwork at her own pace helps a lot. She can also avoid taking tests when her blood sugar levels are too low or too high and can freely dose with insulin whenever it is needed. She can drink juice or eat something when she is low without having to disrupt an entire classroom. She also does not miss anything in the classroom because of visits to the school nurse.