Ploghoft Diversity Lecture: Jordanne Decker, Helping Hands and Horses

Jordanne Decker of Helping Hands and Horses will discuss the ways it provides fun, individualized therapeutic riding experiences as Northwest’s School of Education hosts its fall Ploghoft Diversity Lecture. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Helping Hands and Horses, located in Festus and certified through SpiritHorse International, is a non-profit therapeutic horsemanship organization for children and adults with disabilities. Therapeutic horsemanship is defined as a range of treatments that involve activities with horses and other equines to promote human physical and mental health.

Decker, of Festus, Missouri, is in her second year as a special education teacher in an autism classroom. Her passion for working with people with disabilities stems from her involvement in Helping Hands and Horses since 2014. She was honored in 2022 as Missouri Baptist University’s Outstanding Student of Achievement for Cross Categorical Disabilities, and she received the Missouri Baptist University Alumni Association’s Mission in Action Award in 2021.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in cross categorical special education K-12 from Missouri Baptist University as well as multiple certifications. She also is pursuing a master’s degree in education leadership: K-12 at Northwest.