Penny the therapy dog ​​motivates and reduces stress at Quaker Valley High School – CBS Pittsburgh

LEETSDALE, Pa. (KDKA) – There’s a new student at Quaker Valley High School, only she’s not what you’d expect.

Penny is the newest member of high school. The English bulldog is part of a pilot program designed to help reduce stress and motivate students.

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(Image credit: KDKA)

The therapy dog ​​is part of a plan that has been in the works for two years to bring a new atmosphere of positivity and relief to the school. Students can come to Penny’s room and spend time with her at any time. The dog also makes the rounds in the classrooms.

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Principal Deborah Riccobelli said she was impressed with the results so far.

“With the year the students had last year and they’re coming back and they’re still not quite normal, it’s just one more thing we can do to offer a level of support to students and staff to do something like Penny, to have our therapy dog, to help everyone navigate whatever becomes our new normal,” Ricobeli said. “She’s a big part of it.”

Senior Veronica Martin is the perfect example of the love and impact Penny has made.

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“If I have a really bad panic attack, I usually drop out of school because I can’t handle it anymore,” Martin said. “With Penny, I have a few minutes to pull myself together so I don’t have to miss class.”