“I’m excited for this opportunity in our school; the therapy dog will make a special impact on our students that will be unmeasurable,” Trevor Cummings, Principal of Ravenswood High School mentioned. “I look forward to knowing he will be in the building to brighten our kids’ days. I’m thankful for the Friends With Paws program and that Nutter was placed here.”
The Friends With Paws program is a partnership between the Governor’s Office, West Virginia Communities In Schools (CIS) Nonprofit, and the West Virginia Department of Education. Therapy dogs are placed in faculties inside CIS counties the place college students are disproportionately affected by poverty, substance misuse, or different at-risk conditions, and are within the biggest want of a help animal. The dogs function a wholesome and pleasant outlet for these college students to deal with trauma and different social-emotional points.
Schools that beforehand acquired remedy dogs by way of the Friends With Paws program embody:
● Coala male Black Labrador, at Welch Elementary, McDowell County
● Fostera male Golden Labradoodle, at Buckhannon Academy Elementary, Upshur County
● Jaspera feminine Yellow Labrador, at Lewis County High School, Lewis County
● River, a male Yellow Labrador, at Pineville Elementary School, Wyoming County
● Shadow, a male Black Labrador, at Moorefield Elementary School, Hardy County
● Jeta male Yellow Labrador, at Spring Mills High School, Berkeley County
● Kyloa male Black Labrador, at Lenore PK-8 School, Mingo County
● Winniea feminine Apricot and White Labradoodle, at Wayne Elementary School, Wayne County
● Kashaa feminine Yellow Labrador, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, Pocahontas County
● Marshalla male Cream Labradoodle, at Hinton Area Elementary School, Summers County
● Louiea male Yellow Labrador, at Bridgeview Elementary School, Kanawha County
● Oakleya male Apricot and Cream Labradoodle, at Oakvale Elementary School, Mercer County
● Rubya feminine Golden Retriever, at Greenbrier East High School, Greenbrier County
● Malfoy, a male Yellow Labrador, at Chapmanville Intermediate School, Logan County
● Toraa feminine Yellow Labrador, at Elkins High School, Randolph County
● Skyea feminine Brown Labradoodle, at Berkeley Springs High School, Morgan County
● Penny, a feminine Yellow Labrador, at Pendleton County Middle/High School, Pendleton County
More details about Friends With Paws may be present in Communities In Schools: Friends With Paws, a documentary produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Click HERE to view the documentary.
