K-9 For Kids Reading & Enrichment Service Programs, a canine to kids community service program for South Florida News

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  Reading & Enrichment Service Programs

 

K-9 for Kids Reading Program

K-9 For Kids Enrichment Service Program

K-9 For Kids Teams

 

 

  

                             

 

April 16 2008

Three years ago, when Matthew was in 5th grade at Blue Lakes Elementary School, I developed a friendly relationship with Sue Zinn, the school's media specialist.  At that time, I had only one Therapy Dog (Rosie the Ridgeback) and we talked about starting a reading program at that school.
 
I developed and presented a project plan to the school administration.  Unfortunately, the principal who was there at the time was not interested.  And time passed....
 
Last year, I used that same plan to initiate a therapy dog reading program at another local elementary school.  Caramela and I would visit once a week and have children read to her in the library after school.  It was great!
 
This year, I was able to go back to where the story began, and (with a new principal) initiate the "K9 For Kids" reading program at Blue Lakes Elementary.  We visit twice a week and, along with 4 other therapy dog teams, have children read to our dogs.  I have witnessed real improvement in all of the children in this group.  We get frequent positive feedback from the school administration and teachers.  It's going better than I could ever have expected.
 
But, as you know, more has come out of this project that we had intended.  On one of our first visits, the principal, Mrs. Aida Marrero, asked me if she could take Caramela for a few minutes.  I agreed and they disappeared.
 
She returned a while later and told me that she had introduced Caramela to the children in an autistic class.  Apparently, our chocolate princess did everything right because we were then asked to also provide Therapy Dog visits for the autistic children.  Of course, I agreed.
 
We have been visiting 2 Special Education Classes.  There is no way that I can convey to you how moving it is, to see Caramela dealing with these kids.  She is loving, patient, and extremely tolerant. 
 
At first the kids were a bit frightened of her.  Now the scream her name out as we walk into the room.  They love her passionately and are thrilled with her visits.
 
This is very rewarding work.  It is also very gratifying to see these little angels so happy to be with our chocolate angel.
 
So, the reading program turned out to be a lot more and I am thrilled.
 
Below, please find some photos of Caramela and her special friends.  You can see how much our girl is loved and how happy they are to be with her.
 
 
 
Maki
 
 
 

 

Blue Lakes Elementary

December 20th 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miami Dog Show

December 8th & 9th

The K9 For Kids Teams at the Miami Show

The K9 For Kids K9 Coaches and K9 Companions at the Miami Dog Show

 

 

November 26th 2007
 Blue Lakes Elementary
 

Here are a couple of pictures of Zen and Caramela, sitting in the school library (media center) after their reading visit with the first graders at Blue Lakes Elementary.

 

It's funny that, after such a short time at the school, when we walk down the hallways, the kids all call out our dogs by their names.  These are not just the students that we work with - but older and younger kids.  The office staff and teachers are always happy to see our teams and make us feel very much at home.

 

After the Christmas break, we will initiate Part 2 of our service visits to Blue Lakes, when we begin the once a week visits to the ESE class, where one of our dogs will visit with the autistic students.  We have made a couple of visits and both times were met with very nice results.  The children were drawn and excited by the dog and the teacher was very pleased with the results.

 

I will let you know about this project as it unfolds.

 

Enjoy the pictures!

 

Maki

 

 

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November 12th 2007
 Blue Lakes Elementary
 

Here are some photos of our labs at work at Blue Lakes Elementary.  Last week, we had a great milestone.  Four students, that were initially unable to read to our dogs, actually read from small story books and ALL of them asked to read again.  I was floored.  I am on Cloud 9 with this development.
 

THIS is our pay-off.  What quick and wonderful success!  We are getting very positive feedback from our contacts (the Assistant Principal and the Media Specialist).
 

Thanks for your support and encouragement.
 
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Beach Boy and Courtney

 

 

October 18th 2007
 Blue Lakes Elementary

The first visit of K-9 For  Kids at Blue Lakes was a success. 

We did not actually read, but we did introduce the children to our dogs and, I think, by the end of our visit, they were all pretty comfortable with each other.

Next Tuesday, we will begin reading.

Visiting Teams

Team Leader & K-9 Coach
Maki Nieto-Menendez
K-9 Companion Chambrays Caramela CGC TDInc. K9K

K-9 Coaches
Wanda Simmons & Courtney Keller
K-9 Companion Chambrays Beach Boy CGC TDInc. K9K

K-9 Coach
Lourdes Cofino
K-9 Companion Coco TDInc. K9K

K-9 Coach
Gail Morgan
K-9 Companion Zen Morgan CGC TDInc. K9K
 

 

 

June 28th 2007

Chambray Labradors &
The Partners Program For The Betterment Of The Breed
is proud to announce the sponsorship & partnership of
K-9 For Kids Reading Program
& K-9 For Kids Enrichment Service Program.

Both of these community service activities are the creation of Maki Nieto-Menendez. We are extremely honored to join Maki in this wonderful venture as our first step into the dog service sector.

Maki is already one of our dearest associates in the Partners Program with one of our Labradors, Int Ch Chambrays Greenhead Caramela CGC TDI SARA RN. Several years ago, Maki connected us with the Paws With A Cause Org. which led to us sponsoring with this national organization by offering our services free of charge as dog trainers to dogs placed by PWAC in the South Florida area.

Maki was Program Coordinator and one of the founders of the C.A.R.E. Reading Program that was featured in the TV news segment locally and was also picked up nationally by many stations. The response was immense and the request for these types of canine to children programs was so apparent that something on a bigger scale was needed, thus the new K-9 For Kids Programs being launched by Maki Nieto-Menendez & the Partners Program under the auspices of Professional Canine Services Inc.

Plans call for recruiting and training new prospects for the program. Recruits will begin training with the Basic Obedience & Canine Good Citizen Training and Testing offered by Chambray Dog Training Inc. Those passing this first level will then be candidates for training for evaluation and orientation for the TDInc registration. As an evaluator and tester for Therapy Dogs Inc., Maki will be in charge of assessing all new recruits for that level*.

Those dogs and handlers that achieve the TDInc registration will be trained and tested for the Reading and Enrichment Service Programs by Maki and Chambray Dog Training.

Meet our Teams of K-9 Coaches and K-9 Companions

The K-9 For Kids Teams

(Observations for Therapy Dog Inc. registration are done free of charge as a community service by Maki Nieto-Menendez, Tester/Observer for Therapy Dog Inc. & Program Director for K-9 For Kids)

 

 

K-9 For Kids Reading Program

K-9 For Kids Enrichment Service Program
 

 

                                

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