Note from Coco: Molly’s last day was this week, so I’m handing the keyboard over to her – enjoy!
And, my comment: Don’t miss reading this one. Molly, the once shelter dog, has done amazing things this year…
The end of the year can be very busy at a school. The therapy dog team of me and Coco usually goes to school four or five days a week, but this week, we covered two days – Coco on Monday and me on Thursday. It was a very special day for me, though…Thursday was my last day at school for the year! I can’t believe I’ve been a therapy dog for almost a whole year, and from around October to June, I kept very busy working with my mom, Julie (a guidance counselor) and the many great teachers and students at Melican Middle School in Northborough, MA. Since I had my last day this week, Coco said it might be a good idea for me to talk a little bit about my work this year.
Let’s start with Thursday, though. It was AWESOME! Since I knew it was my last day, I made sure to see a lot of my most special student friends to say goodbye for the year. I’ll be back to school in the fall, but Mom said it was important for me and the students to say goodbye and have what she calls “closure” for the summer months. I don’t know what that means, but I know I’ll miss my school friends this summer! I got a lot of hugs and thank yous from students AND teachers. I’m not sure what they were thanking me for…I’m the one who gets to visit with nice people all day. I should be thanking them!
Our principal is retiring at the end of the school year, which makes me very sad. She was one of the people who helped get me and Coco into the school. She supports the therapy dog program very much and I’m so happy she gave me the chance to work at school this year. On Thursday, one of the teachers was making a video to help say goodbye to the principal, and as I was walking down the hallway with Mom, I got a close-up shot from the video camera. My mom saw the video later on and she said I made the final cut…I’m famous! I wonder how many other schools have dogs walking around the hallways every day. Probably not many! I personally think every school should have therapy dogs. We’re pretty awesome!
I spent a lot of time during the school year in the Behavior Specialist’s room, so it was only fitting that I was there for part of my last day. The students in there are always so nice to me. Sometimes they sit next to me on the floor and do work. Other times they just like to pet me if they are having a bad day or if they need to take a break from the stress of the school day. After all, it’s hard work being a middle school student! One of my favorite things to do with them is take walks. I LOVE taking walks! I’m not sure if you know this about me, but another thing I really love to do is roll around on the ground when I’m out for a walk. It doesn’t matter if there’s grass, dirt, mud, or snow on the ground, I love to roll! My mom thinks it feels good on my back, and the kids at school always laugh when I do it. I bet if they knew how good it felt, they’d be joining me on the ground! You humans don’t know what you’re missing!
Anyway, my mom was sitting in her office, when all of a sudden, I came walking in with a student and one of the Behavior Specialist’s aides. My mom said all three of us had BIG smiles on our faces when we walked into her office. The student was laughing, too. My mom’s face looked a little shocked, because apparently I was COVERED from head to toe in dirt! My mom said I was the dirtiest she has ever seen me. My beautiful blue Bright Spot vest was all brown! The student explained that we had a really nice walk and that I did a lot of rolling around in a big patch of dirt outside the school. My mom took my vest off and gave me a little “sponge bath” to help keep me clean for the rest of the school day (it was only about 10:30 at the time!). I know it was a walk I’ll never forget and I hope the student won’t, either!
After I got cleaned up, one of my very best student friends joined me and Mom for lunch. This student has spent every lunch period on Tuesday and Thursday with me and Mom all year long. A couple of weeks ago, Mom told me that the student said it would be a nice idea for them to throw me a little party during our last lunch period together. He said it was important to “celebrate the great year Molly had.” He even said Mom should get me special treats for that last lunch. When I heard that, I thought it was the best idea I had ever heard! Let’s just say it was one of the best visits I’ve ever had…not only because I got some very yummy dog cookies, but because I got to spend it with such a nice student. He talked a lot about how much he liked meeting me this year, and how me and Coco really helped him feel safe around dogs again. When this student was a little boy, he was bitten by a dog. That experience made him feel very nervous around dogs, but something about me and Coco helped him understand that dogs can be good friends. I feel a very special bond with this student and Mom says she thinks I learned a lot from him. As we spent that last lunch together, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much the student changed over the year. When I first met him, he was kind of nervous and quiet around me and Mom. He had a difficult time adjusting to middle school and he needed a lot of support getting from place to place and feeling comfortable with the new routine. Over the year, though, Mom and I noticed how much more confident and comfortable he seemed. He really came out of his shell…he is a very kind and funny person with a lot of great ideas and thoughts. He has made so much progress in school and talks proudly about the many academic and musical successes he has had over the school year. Mom says she is so proud of this student, and she thinks that I helped him feel connected and safe this year. The funny thing is, this student says how proud he is of ME! He says I have grown a lot over the school year, too…I’m a lot more relaxed and I’m an even better listener than when I first started at school. I liked getting such a nice compliment from that student. Who knows…maybe we helped each other become the best we can be this year.
These examples are just a few of the many times Mom says I made a difference at school this year. Every time I helped a student feel safe, or comforted someone who was feeling sad, or even when I rolled around on the ground and made someone laugh who really needed it, Mom says it reminded her that therapy dog work is so important. Mom never doubted that she and I should become a Bright Spot team, but she says she never realized just how special this experience would be for both of us. Mom thinks it’s extra special because about seven years ago, I was a shelter dog who had been “given back” by two different families. But now look at me! I’m making a big difference! And I can’t wait to do it all over again next year. This is a very proud (and dirty) Bright Spot Molly signing off for the summer. See you soon! Love, Molly