Education academy helps WEC equestrians keep up with school while training/competing
Upper Echelon Academy offers young equestrians the opportunity to work and train for competitive sport while also maintaining their academic credentials. Based in Wellington, the program has facilities and students across the United States and Europe, and now has a new location at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala.
Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, UEA is providing on-site academic services at WEC, allowing students from kindergarten all the way up through college to keep up with their education while in training so that they can be in a completely immersive environment without sacrificing either their passion or their academic excellence.
“Our network of locations give students a home base for either full time school through UEA, or comprehensive show support,” said Kate Bomgaars, who started the program in 2013 with partners Heather Amber and Clementine Goutal. “We allow competitive equestrians to focus on their sport and training goals while also achieving the best results academically through top curriculum, expert teachers and advisory teams.”
All curriculum is online, and can be done either year-round or in seasonal rotations if students want to return to a traditional school format for part of their academic year. Administrators, tutors and advisers create lesson plans and benchmarks for each student that is tailored to individual strengths, courses of study and goals. The academy also offers college preparatory courses as well as options for university students.
“We’re there every step of the way,” Bomgaars said. “We maintain a high standard of academics, but we also try to keep it personalized and tailored to their schedule needs for training, and give the students as much flexibility as we can. It’s possible to do both without losing quality or exhausting the student. Nothing is compromised.”
Because coursework is done remotely, with support staff at each location, students are able to travel to various points of the globe for competition and exhibitions and still stay current with their studies; they can access it wherever they are.
The staff at UAE make it a priority to get to know the students and their families so they can better understand the needs and goals of each one, focusing on the big picture of providing the student with a course of study that is both comprehensive and geared towards that student’s strengths.
The inclusion of Upper Echelon at WEC was underway as early as 2016, when the equestrian center was under construction. With Ocala so intricately connected to the equestrian industry, it was kind of a no-brainer to open a location here.
“I’m from Wellington, so I knew about the academy from there,” said Christy Baxter, director of equine operations at WEC. “The kids come in here and compete over the course of several days sometimes, so to have a resource for them to study just made sense. We’re very excited about it.”
WEC was already a fast-growing destination venue almost the moment it opened, and once everyone agreed to add UEA to the facility, they designed a standalone space where the program will offer onsite study rooms, academic advisers and instructional support for all exhibitors.
The state-of-the-art facility will also provide WiFi, study areas and snacks so students can focus on school in an encouraging environment with a lot of one-on-one work with teachers in concentrated, practical coursework.
New at the WEC: World Equestrian Center in Ocala announces major additions to its campus
“As the venue has grown, so does the community,” Baxter said. “It’s definitely an advantage. Students can stay for a weekend exhibition or for entire circuits; this is like a home away from home.”
“UEA gives students the opportunity to train and compete without feeling the pressure of dividing themselves between their passion for that and their educational responsibilities,” Bomgaars said. “You don’t even have to be an equestrian to apply; we also have golfers, tennis and soccer players. When I was growing up in the horse community, I needed this kind of support, and there weren’t as many options then. UEA offers an option so that students can achieve top results in academics and in sports.”
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Academy helps World Equestrian Center competitors keep up with school
