Taking the Reins empowers local student to further her passion at Stanford

ATWATER VILLAGE (KABC) -- Sangam Sharma has been going to Taking the Reins since she was 13-years-old.

Taking the Reins (TTR) is a non-profit, empowerment organization for at-risk girls to learn about horsemanship and natural sciences.

The program helps 360 girls between the ages of 8-18 every year.

"As a kid, I was always pretty inquisitive. So instead of just trying to know what things were, I also wanted to know why things were happening," she said.

When she started at TTR, she was able to explore her passion for science and biology.

In the fall, she'll be furthering her passion by studying biochemistry at Stanford University.

Sharma will be the first person in her family to attend a 4-year university in the United States.

She claims she would "have no idea" where she'd be if it weren't for TTR.

"Before I came here I encountered a lot of issues when it came to talking to other people and I never really knew what to say. But because I was brought here with a bunch of girls from all over at Los Angeles, I had to learn how to voice my wants and work together with them. It really taught me how to work well with others and how to be more confident in myself in a social setting," she said.

TTR has made Sharma feel more confident and eager to take on leadership roles.

She hopes to eventually work in the horse industry and help the students at TTR.