Riverside aldermen were introduced earlier this month to a therapy dog making a difference at a local school.
English Landing Elementary School special education teacher and Riverside resident Christine Douglas brought Steve to the Tuesday, Dec. 7 meeting of the board of aldermen.
“Steve was a pandemic dog that turned out to be such a great dog that we made him a therapy dog, too,” Douglas said.
Christine Douglas and Steve Rogers attended a Riverside Board of Aldermen meeting earlier this month.
After completing his training, Steve – a golden-doodle mix - spends his days at English Landing, assisting students in need of a little unconditional canine love.
Steve and Douglas also volunteer with the Beyond the Bell program at the Riverside Community Center, providing additional academic assistance to students.
Steve is available to all English Landing students, for quiet conversation, practice reading aloud or just a few cuddles.
“I’ve seen students with behavioral problems just instantly calm down with Steve,” Douglas said. “They love on him, talk to him, tell him their secrets.”
Mayor Kathy Rose said there were many dog lovers on the board and was happy another canine could provide community assistance.
Douglas said English Landing staff and even parents have benefited from Steve’s soothing presence.
“When I got him, it was never my intention to make him a therapy dog,” Douglas said, but during regular obedience training after his adoption she was told he’d be an excellent therapy dog.
“The kids just light up every day when they see him in school – and the teachers do too.”
Rose said the challenges of the past two pandemic years have been hard on everyone, and she was proud school children could get additional emotional support from Steve.
“This is just one more piece to make things just a little bit better for everyone,” Rose said.
Douglas said her classroom data has shown tremendous improvement for students who have interacted with Steve – who, she added, has his own photo in the school yearbook.
“I think he networks without me during the day,” Douglas said, since everyone seems to know Steve, who was named for Steve Rogers – Marvel Comics’ Captain America.
“He’s an all-American dog, so we gave him an all-American name,” Douglas said.