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Dolphins swim their way into senior’s goals For Haylee Kirschner, a senior at MMI, a childhood fascination led toward her goals for her future. She became interested in dolphins while visiting her grandparents in Florida as a child, and as a teenager began attending programs at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida. Dolphin Research Center (DRC) educates people about marine mammals and hosts programs for the public to experience Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions in several ways, seeing more than 70,000 visitors each year. More than half of the animals at DRC were born there, with several others that were rescued, rehabilitated, and deemed unsuitable for release back into the wild by the government. Kirschner has attended three years of DolphinLab Teen programs at DRC, graduating this summer from the Marine Mammal Care and Basic Training course, which is geared toward students who plan to pursue a career in marine mammal care and training. The course includes a blend of seminars, observation time, and handson activities aimed at giving students an in-depth understanding of careers in that field. At the conclusion of the course, students demonstrate their animal handling skills by conducting a public dolphin session narrated by DRC’s animal care and training staff for the center’s visitors. Also this summer, Kirschner volunteered with Marley’s Mission in Clarks Summit, which uses horses to provide free therapy to children who have experienced trauma. “She often spent her days cleaning out stalls and never complained, seeing it as just another step in the process toward her goal,” said her mother, Kimberly Kirschner. “Every day, she had a smile on her face to work with the children and the horses.” Haylee Kirschner said the time she spent at the Dolphin Research Center and Marley’s Mission influenced her plans for the future. “I always knew I liked animals, but being able to work with marine mammals and then horses, seeing how these large animals are used to help others, really got me wanting to work with large animals to provide therapy.” She plans to study occupational therapy in college, leading to a career in animal-assisted therapy with large animals, specifically dolphins or horses. She raised several hundred dollars for the Dolphin Research Center through her Open House presentation at MMI and a dressdown fundraiser she organized. Kirschner is also the first recipient of the Roy and Dorothy Feussner Endowed Scholarship, established at MMI this year by Dr. John R. Feussner ’64, Mrs. Patricia A. Morse, Mr. Gregory G.
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Haylee Kirschner poses with Calusa, one of the dolphins she worked with at the Do lphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida.
Feussner, and Mr. Ronald A. Feussner ’70 in honor of their parents. The Feussners are the proprietors of Feussner Ford in Freeland. Dr. John Feussner ’64 said, “Our parents understood the value of education and knew MMI would provide a superior education that offered every advantage as we pursued our chosen careers. The Roy and Dorothy Feussner Endowed Scholarship simultaneously honors our parents and provides financial support to another promising student who seeks the advantage of an MMI caliber education.” Kirschner’s parents, Dieter and Kimberly Kirschner, are the owners of 940 Snowboards/Alpina Ski Shop in White Haven. MMI Head of School Thomas G. Hood said, “From operating small family-owned businesses, the Feussners and the Kirschners both understand the importance of hard work, which we emphasize at MMI. The MMI family is known for being supportive of one another, which is just what the Feussners have done in establishing this scholarship.” Haylee Kirschner expressed her gratitude to the Feussners, saying, “This scholarship means a lot to me, especially coming from another family that owns a business. I want to thank the Feussners for their generosity.” Kimberly Kirschner said, “Receiving this scholarship has allowed Haylee to stay at MMI, where she has truly thrived and excelled. The school has challenged her to show exactly what she can do. We’re so thankful for the Feussner scholarship and our fellow business owners who understand the joys and challenges of operating a small business.”
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