Who We Are

Blue Ribbon Scholars helps equestrian student-athletes balance their academic responsibilities with the unique demands of competitive sport. We are a year-round academic program that provides the structure, flexibility, and expert guidance students need to manage school and rigorous training schedules, frequent travel, and pressure both in and out of the ring.

Whether enrolled in a traditional school, hybrid model, or fully online program, our scholars receive the consistent support, accountability, and encouragement they need to succeed—not just academically, but holistically. All of the support our clients wish their schools would provide is at their fingertips with Blue Ribbon Scholars.

Sign Up for a FREE Consultation
We offer a full suite of wraparound academic services that competitive student-athletes need to thrive: from managing absences in brick-and-mortar schools to supporting full-time online learning, we help students build lasting academic skills while creating a sense of community and connection—even during solo travel seasons. Our mission is to help young equestrians pursue their goals in the show ring without compromising their futures beyond it.

What We Offer:

  • In-Person Support at our partner HITS Ocala showgrounds grades K–12: tutoring, academic coaching, and test proctoring during winter circuit (November to April)
  • One-on-One In-Person and Virtual Tutoring across core subjects, AP/IB courses, and world languages
  • Standardized Test Prep for the SAT, ACT, AP, and IB exams
  • Subject-Specific Tutoring in math, science, English, history, languages, and more
  • Academic Planning & School Coordination to support students transitioning between brick-and-mortar and online models
  • College Admissions Advising, including:
    • Academic planning and course selection
    • College application support, including essay development and interview prep
  • NCAA Equestrian Advising, including:
    • NCAA eligibility guidance
    • Resume building, YouTube channel curation, and recruiting communications strategy
  • Time Management & Study Skills Coaching to build independence and reduce stress
  • School Choice & Educational Counseling for online vs. in-person schooling decisions
  • Ongoing Communication with parents, schools, and coaches for aligned support
  • Continuity of Tutoring Relationships: online or in-person support with the same trusted tutor year-round Whether students are looking to stay ahead, avoid falling behind, or take the next step toward college, Blue Ribbon Scholars offers structure, mentorship, and academic partnership every step of the way.
Contact us today to book a complimentary consultation and learn how we can support your student’s academic journey—wherever their goals may take them. You can also explore our services pages and the Blue Rider blog to learn more about the full range of support we offer.

The Blue Ribbon Scholars Value System

Scholarship

We offer comprehensive academic support for scholar-athlete equestrians. Perhaps you're keeping up a certain GPA for your college of choice, or maybe you're missing school every week to compete far from home. From the IEA to the A-circuit, we're here to help you stay on track academically.

Sportsmanship

Good sportsmanship fosters respect, discipline, and teamwork. When a horse enters the equation, the patience and perseverance required of an athlete increases tenfold. Blue Ribbon Scholars teaches our students the importance of resilience through the highs and lows of equestrian competition.

Stewardship

The equestrian community is, and has historically been, closely woven. We are all stewards of our horses and our actions within the community. Blue Ribbon Scholars takes an active role to foster the next generation of athletes and leaders that will form the core of this community in the future.

Why Choose Blue Ribbon Scholars

Scholar-Athlete Synergy

We understand the demands of your sport and school life. Our flexible scheduling ensures that your tutoring sessions fit seamlessly into your busy schedule.

Experienced Tutors

Our dedicated tutors have a track record of success, helping equestrian scholar-athletes excel academically all year round.

Proven Results

Our students have achieved remarkable academic and athletic success, earning admission to top colleges and universities, including D1 NCEA equestrian teams at Baylor University, Texas A&M, the University of Lynchburg, and University of Oklahoma.

Meet Our Learning Coaches

Just a few of our talented educators are shown here. Contact us to set up classes or for a specific tutoring subject area request.

  • Mira Korber, M.P.P.

    FOUNDER OF BLUE RIBBON SCHOLARS

    Mira holds a B.A. in Latin American Studies, cum laude, from Yale University. Her ability to think quickly, reflect critically, and communicate clearly allows her to reach students from diverse educational backgrounds. Mira’s teaching focus centers on the humanities, economics, and Spanish language.

  • Dr. Steve Vaughn

    MATHEMATICS, ECONOMICS, AND PHYSICS

    Dr. Vaughn has more than 20 years of experience focused on training, coaching, and mentoring others in learner-centered (constructivist) methodology. He holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management and a Master’s in Math Education. Dr. Vaughn is an adjunct professor at the College of Central Florida and a math coach for almost all levels of math.

  • Valérie Chaussonnet

    BLUE RIDER ART CLUB, FRENCH, RUSSIAN

    Valérie holds a master’s degree from Sorbonne University in Paris in Russian Language and Studies and completed doctoral research in anthropology (ABD) at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. Valérie has been teaching French for over 20 years. She is a professional artist and maintains an active sculpture and painting studio.

  • Alexander Malekan

    ADVANCED STEM, TEST PREP

    Alex holds a master’s degree in mathematics and bachelor’s degrees in physics and mathematics from UF. He has over six years of teaching experience in mathematics and standardized test preparation (SAT/SAT II/ACT/AP/GRE/GMAT). He also holds the title of National Chess Expert as certified by the United States Chess Federation.

  • Justina Rodriguez-Campos

    K-8 SUBJECTS, MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH

    Justina graduated from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She holds Texas certifications for math and generalist 4-8, as well as a Florida certification for math 5-9.

  • Cynthia Sirois

    BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, US HISTORY

    In addition to majoring in environmental science at Rochester Institute of Technology, Cynthia studied biomedical science and British literature. She then earned a JD at Vermont Law School with an emphasis on environmental, energy, and international climate law.

Mira Korber, M.P.P.

FOUNDER OF BLUE RIBBON SCHOLARS

Mira holds a B.A. in Latin American Studies from Yale and a Master’s of Education Policy from Vanderbilt. Her ability to think quickly, reflect critically, and communicate clearly allows her to reach students from diverse educational backgrounds. Mira’s teaching focus centers on the humanities, economics, and Spanish language.

Dr. Steve Vaughn

MATHEMATICS, ECONOMICS, AND PHYSICS

Dr. Vaughn has more than 20 years of experience focused on training, coaching, and mentoring others in learner-centered (constructivist) methodology. He holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management and a Master’s in Math Education. Dr. Vaughn is an adjunct professor at the College of Central Florida and a math coach for almost all levels of math.

Dr. Julie Emerson

BIOLOGY, AP BIOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Julie has over a 40-year career as a biology educator and researcher. Most recently, she taught introductory biology at Amherst College for 18 years. During this time, Julie also directed a summer workshop in genetics and molecular biology for high school biology teachers. Julie holds a ScB in Biology from Brown University, a Ph.D. in Anatomy from the University of California San Francisco and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Princeton University.

Valérie Chaussonnet

BLUE RIDER ART CLUB, FRENCH, RUSSIAN

Valérie holds a master’s degree from Sorbonne University in Paris in Russian Language and Studies and completed doctoral research in anthropology (ABD) at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. Valérie has been teaching French for over 20 years. She is a professional artist and maintains an active sculpture and painting studio.

Alexander Malekan

ADVANCED STEM, TEST PREP

Alex holds a master’s degree in mathematics and bachelor’s degrees in physics and mathematics from UF. He has over six years of teaching experience in mathematics and standardized test preparation (SAT/SAT II/ACT/AP/GRE/GMAT). He also holds the title of National Chess Expert as certified by the United States Chess Federation.

Justina Rodriguez-Campos

K-8 SUBJECTS, MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH

Justina graduated from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She holds Texas certifications for math and generalist 4-8, as well as a Florida certification for math 5-9.

Cynthia Sirois

BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, US HISTORY

In addition to majoring in environmental science at Rochester Institute of Technology, Cynthia studied biomedical science and British literature. She then earned a JD at Vermont Law School with an emphasis on environmental, energy, and international climate law.

Testimonials

Kristin S.

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

It has been a pleasure working with you. The organization of your system has been excellent. We missed Layne, but are happy that she had the experience.

Ronnie R.

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

This is wonderful. Thank you so much! You all are the best tutors we’ve worked with for our students at WEF!

Leslie M.

PARENT

I really appreciate the individualized instruction for my daughter– and the excellent communication between Blue Ribbon, the student, and the family. THANK YOU!

Deborah E.

PARENT

“The time we invested in tutoring was fantastic. Mira has an ability to connect with her students and understand their development needs. I had two very different students tutor with her and results are seen with both. Not only do I see increased confidence in their abilities, but also engagement in the subject matter.”

Linda S.

PARENT

This was a top notch educational experience for my daughters. They were able to complete their work and stay on track with their classmates at home, and focus on their riding, as well. The girls thoroughly enjoyed their teachers and other students and were sad to leave at the end of the 5 weeks.

Michele T.

PARENT

Mira and Blue Ribbon Scholars were invaluable during my daughters time at HITS Ocala. When Katie returned to school in March, she was actually ahead in all of her classes. The one on one tutoring was helpful keeping her focused on her specific tasks, while the study hall sessions were great for establishing a community. She is still in contact with many of the students and they are making plans to meet up at future shows. I can’t recommend Blue Ribbon Scholars highly enough!

Emma S.

STUDENT

I liked that Blue Ribbon Scholars was flexible and I could get help whenever I needed. If I didn’t have a lot of work for one course, I could focus where I had more work. In regular school the schedule is more strict which makes it hard to get ahead.

Emma C.

STUDENT

I like learning at Blue Ribbon Scholars because it is a friendly, safe, and fun environment. There are great tutors…and snacks!

Margaret M.

STUDENT

The flexibility of Blue Ribbon Scholars and being able to get help when I needed it made my time in Florida stress-free.

Margaret M.

STUDENT

The flexibility of Blue Ribbon Scholars and being able to get help when I needed it made my time in Florida stress-free.

Emma C.

STUDENT

I like learning at Blue Ribbon Scholars because it is a friendly, safe, and fun environment. There are great tutors…and snacks!

Emma S.

STUDENT

I liked that Blue Ribbon Scholars was flexible and I could get help whenever I needed. If I didn’t have a lot of work for one course, I could focus where I had more work. In regular school the schedule is more strict which makes it hard to get ahead.

Michele T.

PARENT

Mira and Blue Ribbon Scholars were invaluable during my daughters time at HITS Ocala. When Katie returned to school in March, she was actually ahead in all of her classes. The one on one tutoring was helpful keeping her focused on her specific tasks, while the study hall sessions were great for establishing a community. She is still in contact with many of the students and they are making plans to meet up at future shows. I can’t recommend Blue Ribbon Scholars highly enough!

Linda S.

PARENT

This was a top notch educational experience for my daughters. They were able to complete their work and stay on track with their classmates at home, and focus on their riding, as well. The girls thoroughly enjoyed their teachers and other students and were sad to leave at the end of the 5 weeks.

Deborah E.

PARENT

“The time we invested in tutoring was fantastic. Mira has an ability to connect with her students and understand their development needs. I had two very different students tutor with her and results are seen with both. Not only do I see increased confidence in their abilities, but also engagement in the subject matter.”

Leslie M.

PARENT

I really appreciate the individualized instruction for my daughter– and the excellent communication between Blue Ribbon, the student, and the family. THANK YOU!

Ronnie R.

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

This is wonderful. Thank you so much! You all are the best tutors we’ve worked with for our students at WEF!

Kristin S.

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

It has been a pleasure working with you. The organization of your system has been excellent. We missed Layne, but are happy that she had the experience.

Brand Partners

Get Started

Are you an equestrian scholar-athlete?

You’ve come to the right place! Send us a note in the contact form so we can set up a complimentary learning consultation to help you reach your goals in and out of the show ring.

Are you a tutor, teacher, or education professional?

We are always looking for qualified tutors to join our growing team of learning coaches. Fill out the contact form or send us your resume at info@blueribbonscholars.com.

Send us a message to learn more