STEFAN ARNONE
late April with safety precautions in place. I was still being conservative, so I didn’t go back at that point,” he said. By early May, the COVID-19 safety precautions were lifted, the mask mandate Stefan Arnone with aviation student, CJ Perry, taking COVID-19 precautions established by Nevada’s governor was often not enforced, and many people around him Stefan Arnone toured five colleges before choosing the aeronautical had let their guard down and failed to take the science program at Rocky Mountain College. Dan Hargrove, Rocky’s coronavirus seriously. Even though the flight director of aviation, made an impression on Arnone during his campus school had reopened to aviation students, visit that influenced his decision. Arnone took a cautious approach. “I have only good things to say about Dan Hargrove,” Arnone said. “I require masks and currently only fly with “He was one of the reasons I chose Rocky’s aviation program; he has one student. I will only instruct those who are consistently been great at giving advice and guidance (as my academic on board with safety precautions and take the advisor), as well as running the aviation program and teaching some pandemic seriously in their personal lives,” fun and informative classes.” Arnone said. “My After graduation, Arnone moved goal is to instruct back to his hometown of Reno, Nevada, enough to stay to pursue an opportunity to return to proficient and cover the glider flying he’d done in the past. my living expenses, The additional flight time gave him an while staying safe to opportunity to add a glider rating to his protect my parents. flight instructor certificate. He also applied I like living in Reno to a local flight school and began work as and enjoy the time a flight instructor. At the time, his goal was with my parents. to build up flight time to meet the 1,000 Although I won’t get hours required to apply for a commercial a lot of flight hours, airline pilot position. But COVID-19 building flight time changed his career goals. quickly is no longer Cockpit view showing the hand of one of Stefan Arnone’s “I am just coming off a four-month a strong motivating students. hiatus from instructing due to COVID-19. factor. So many I live at home with my parents, ages 61 and 63, one of whom has people have things worse off than I do. Keeping chronic respiratory/asthma issues, so I was very concerned about the a big-picture perspective on my life and career possibility of getting them sick,” said Arnone. “The flight school closed has been helpful in this time of uncertainty, and down mid-March for six weeks due to the pandemic, but reopened in I count myself fortunate.”
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GREEN & GOLD The Magazine of Rocky Mountain College | FALL 2020
HEATHER McCOY Heather McCoy knew from an early age she wanted to help others as she had been helped. At first, she thought about becoming a special education teacher, or a teacher in general, but that would not have allowed her to spend enough time with her favorite animals—horses. “I was born with CP (cerebral palsy) and at six years old my physical therapist said horseback riding would help my balance. I started riding at Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding in my hometown of Bend, Oregon. That’s when my love of horses started,” McCoy said. The consistent horseback riding improved her sense of balance, both on and off the horse. It also increased her self-confidence. As she got older, she moved up to more advanced riding, and by age 14, began volunteering at the barn every chance she got. She met several Rocky interns there who suggested she explore Rocky’s equestrian program and followed their advice. Riding and working the horses during the first two years of her college training were the hardest, especially the sophomore year barricade-jumping. But she got through it and, by her junior year, found success teaching children with special needs. McCoy graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in equine science with a concentration in therapeutic riding, and a minor in psychology. She obtained her PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) International certification before graduation. Her path back to Healing Reins after college graduation was indirect. McCoy moved to Salmon, Idaho and worked as a PATH Certified
Therapeutic Riding Instructor living onsite while teaching classes, caring for the animals, and helping the other onsite instructor. She was also a school CBRS (Community Based Rehabilitation Services) worker: she accompanied a child throughout their school day, helping them cope with difficult situations as they arose. COVID-19 affected McCoy’s Idaho jobs. She lost her therapeutic riding instructor position but continued to work one-on-one with her school CBRS client until the school year ended. Then she moved back home to Bend, Oregon. She had previously sent her resume to Healing Reins, and this past May, began working at the barn where she’d started out as a rider in first grade. Now, McCoy works as a PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. She works closely with the physical and occupational therapists on staff, teaches therapeutic riding lessons, and will begin working with mental health clients. “I chose Rocky due to the small class sizes and the atmosphere I experienced on a campus visit. My goal was to graduate and return as an instructor at Healing Reins,” McCoy said. “Now my goal is to keep learning and continue to love what I’m doing. I started out as a rider due to my disability and then decided to become an instructor and help others in the same way I was helped. People should chase their dreams despite the obstacles. Life isn’t always easy, but when you work hard, the reward at the end is well worth it.”
GREEN & GOLD The Magazine of Rocky Mountain College | FALL 2020
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