Therapy dogs spread good cheer at AAHS
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Some furry friends will bring smiles to local high school students with a new program beginning this week.
The Altoona Area High School is piloting its new program, Therapy Dog Thursdays, that will happen every week from noon to 2 p.m. in the library.
During this time, students will have the opportunity to visit with the dogs from PawZone Certified Therapy Dog Team, part of the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, while a couple of the animals will go to classrooms.
Community Relations Director Paula Foreman said the program will provide students and staff a resource with which they can relax and reset throughout the day.
She said the district has been doing a lot of work with students on mindfulness and finding ways to help them refocus.
The district has occasionally has used therapy dogs to help with that.
"It allows them to relax and unwind -- it is very calming just to sit with the dogs," Foreman said.
High school librarian Tanya Lucas, who oversees the program, said it got started last spring when Patricia Sauka, student social worker and attendance coordinator, asked her about bringing therapy dogs to the library during lunch periods.
"I agreed, and what happened floored me," she said.
So many students were coming into the library to pet the dogs that Lucas had to stand at the door to limit the number of people who could safely fit in the space at one time.
She said the students were all smiles while interacting with the dogs and with each other.
"The energy in the library was so upbeat and positive," Lucas said.
This was Lucas' first experience with PawZone, but after all of the positive reactions from the students, she knew they had to do it again.
Lucas said she has seen studies that show that just being physically around animals releases positive neurotransmitters in the brain.
Studies have also shown that it increases serotonin and dopamine and decreases blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol.
The PawZone Group Certified Therapy Dog Team is a volunteer organization, and it does not cost the district any money.
Lucas said earlier in the year officials started by scheduling several classes of students to visit with the dogs every other Thursday.
Teachers were able to bring their students during their time slots to interact with the dogs and their owners.
News of the dogs in the library eventually traveled through the school, and she had some teachers just showing up with their classes not releasing that it was a pilot program.
"That's when I knew the program needed to be expanded," Lucas said.
Teachers can sign up for a furry friend to visit to their classroom so that more students can participate in the program.
Lucas said the program will continue to evolve as new needs are discovered.
"We want to create an atmosphere where students can have a brain break," she said.
Lucas said many of the students' schedules are packed with classwork, after-school activities and jobs.
"This program provides them with a chance to just relax and interact with the dogs and each other," she said.
The dogs are also being used to help students who are in special education.
Karen Morder of the PawZone said AAHS is the first school in the area to get involved with the therapy dogs.
However, they will soon start a program at the Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School library on Tuesdays.
Besides the high school, Morder said the dogs also visit senior centers, nursing homes, veteran homes, college and various medical facilities.
"No matter where we go, the dogs put smiles on the faces of the people they see," Morder said.
She said residents at nursing homes will often talk about pets they had throughout their lives.
"It is also rewarding for the dog owners too," Morder said.
Since COVID-19, she noticed many students do not want to go to school after getting used to being in the comfort of their homes.
"The dogs create a good incentive to come to school -- they are so excited knowing the dogs will be there," Morder said.
She said it feels great to see the students be so happy and get comfort from the dogs when they need it the most.
"The dogs seem to have a sense of how a person might be feeling or thinking," Morder said.
Mirror staff writer Cati Keith is at 814-946-7535.