READING WITH ROVER

Steven graduated from high school on Tuesday. So what, you think. Lots of kids graduate from high school. What’s so special about Steven?

Steven was a chubby 5th grader with reading difficulties and self-esteem in the basement when he met McDuff and me through the Reading with Rover Program. His self-esteem soared when he went from a D average to the honor roll after reading to McDuff every Saturday morning for twelve weeks at the Paseo Verde Library. I write about Steven and McDuff in the chapter “Reading with McDuff” in my book, Life with McDuff: Lessons Learned from a Therapy Dog.

Therapy dog volunteers like Claire McAvoy with her adorable dog, Coco Chanel, members of Dog B.O.N.E.S., Therapy Dogs of Massachusetts, know the difference a therapy dog can make in a child’s life. They are impacting and changing lives in spectacular ways.

After Steven’s graduation ceremony, he hugged his mother, father and little sister. Then he walked over to me, put his arms around me in a big bear hug, and whispered in my ear, “This wouldn’t have happened without you and McDuff.”

Now you know why Steven’s graduation was special.