All paws were on deck at Hope View Elementary School, which held its annual Service Dog Day on Wednesday.
Since 2017, the Ocean View School District and its staff have helped train 15 service dogs through an ongoing partnership with the Guide Dogs of America – Tender Loving Canines program.
These pups go on to profoundly improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. But before they do, they receive valuable training while enjoying a little celebrity status on local campuses like Hope View.
In celebration of the capable canines and their tenacious trainers, Service Dog Day represented a reunion of sorts, with four-legged classroom walk-throughs and a school-wide assembly out on the blacktop.
“We are here to educate the public, to visit the kids, to teach them about service dog etiquette and to present a donation check to Guide Dogs of America,” fifth-grade teacher Holly Sjogren said.
Along with Hope View, sites such as Golden View, Westmont and Village View elementary schools have also been raising money for the organization in partnership with local businesses like Starbucks and RoundTable Pizza.
OCDE’s Media Services team was on hand to capture some of Wednesday’s tail-wagging highlights. Take a look.