On Dec. 11, the Mindfulness Club brought in two therapy dogs to room C-102 during lunch periods. The executive board of the Mindfulness Club consists of Lauren Keiltyka, Prabvir Kukreja, Nina and Samantha Samuelian, Devon Danielvoch, and Clara Masback.
“We wanted to bring in therapy dogs because we thought they would calm the student body,” Keiltyka said. “We know that a lot of the kids at the high school love dogs, especially the freshmen who are getting situated into the school. We know they are really stressed, especially after the first quarter, so we thought it would be a really good idea to help calm them.”
One dog that was brought in, Piper, is a three year old white mix of a toy poodle and a Bichon Frise. She was dressed in a cute grey and pink sweater, complete with two pink bows tied on top of her ears. Her owner, Christine Simone, decided to have her become a therapy dog due to her sweet, loving and calm personality.
The other dog is a six year old black Great Dane named Jax, who will turn seven on Valentine’s Day. Compared to Piper, he is a giant, but he has a gentle heart. His kind brown eyes were absolutely beautiful, and he had a grey scarf and a little Santa hat on. His owner, Pat Ali, volunteers at a Great Dane rescue.
“[We] had seen this organization in a local newspaper, so we contacted them,” Keiltyka said. “It took a little bit of time, but we got a couple of names who independently own therapy dogs, and we talked to them, some of them couldn’t come, but we’re looking forward to doing an event with the upperclassmen in the new year.”
Since this event was mostly for freshmen to ease them into the hectic schedules of high school, there will be future events for more good dogs to saunter their way into the environment of stressed, dog-loving upperclassmen.