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PHOTO: K-9 Reading Buddies Giving Back…It’s a Gift Abbe Sparks Whether we write a check, donate goods and services or volunteer precious time, we sometimes overlook lesser known grassroots initiatives. These, a few among many, were created by remarkable, selfless people who lead by their example. They demonstrate how to put one’s passion to work for the good of others. Buddy of a Different Breed” is the idea behind K-9 Reading Buddies of the North Shore. This Highland Park-based effort is a volunteer program for kids “AReading grades K-5. One goal of the program is to help youngsters across all socio-economic levels overcome their struggles with reading by using certified therapeutic dogs as projection tools. Using what is known as an Animal-Assisted Activity (AAA), children read aloud to a specially trained therapy dog—certified through Therapy Dogs International (TDI)—in a warm, safe, non-judgmental environment. K-9 Reading Buddies also strives to catch “at-risk” readers before they enter first or second grade— children reading below grade level for whom reading becomes a barrier to academic success. This is accomplished by bringing the therapy dogs into the schoolroom. Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is documented and goal-oriented. K-9 Reading Buddies works with teams of teachers (intervention and reading specialists) and social workers to identify children who not only struggle with reading, but whose lives are complicated by their home or social experiences. Founded by Highland Park-resident Carole Yuster � (mentoring a young reader), K-9 Reading Buddies was born out of an experience her late mother had while hospitalized—a visit from a therapy dog, a golden retriever. Her mother was so delighted by the experience, she made Carol promise to get a golden retriever for her grandson Adam, then 2. “That dog visit to my mom was so therapeutic for her,” remembers Carol. “During her hospital stay, it was the only thing at the time that she responded to positively,” she adds. “So, I honored my mom’s request and acquired a golden retriever and named her Minnie. I believe strongly that we are meant to give in the same way we receive, so Minnie was trained as a therapy dog. Reading was a natural extension, because my mom loved to read and her biggest gift to my son was her love of books.” Carol was first introduced to a therapy dogassisted reading program at a community library in Wisconsin, where she lived for a brief time. When she returned to Highland Park, Carol recognized the need for such a reading program here and felt that residents would benefit greatly. The K-9 reading program premiered at the Deerfield Public Library in January 2007, and by February of this year, the Highland Park Public Library came on board. The program began with five dog/mentor teams, including Carol and her dogs Minnie and Mickey. A team consists of certified TDI therapy dogs and their handlers, who become the “mentors” in the K-9 reading program. These mentors include certified teachers, reading specialists, social workers or stay-at-home moms as well as high school students from HPHS and New Trier (the most recent library to add a program is Wilmette). Each library offers the program once a month (days differ per library), where kids can preregister for a 15-minute time slot to read to a therapy dog. After each session, readers are awarded with motivational tools including a custom bookmark with the dog’s picture, an “I Read to Rover Today” sticker, a paw print stamped on their hand and a custom trading card with their therapy dog’s statistics. The children take away a warm feeling of success and a strong desire to return. The Highland Park Public Library offers the program on the first Monday of each month. You can pick up a copy of The Laurels, the library’s newsletter, or visit www.hplibrary.org to learn more. Expanding the program into the school system proved a bit more challenging. But in June 2007, with Councilwoman Terri Olian’s support, Carol succeeded in having the City of Highland Park’s Dog Ordinance amended. Previously, dogs had been prohibited on school property; now, there is an exception for certified therapy dogs. By autumn, certified therapy dogs made their entrance in District 112’s Early Childhood Education Center, tailored to meet the needs of preschoolers, including children with special needs and kids who have a fear of dogs. Carol hopes to begin a customized, age-appropriate program in the District’s elementary schools.
PHOTO: Music Institute of Chicago Currently self-funded, including all motivational materials, K-9 Reading Buddies is growing quickly. The program now has 16 mentors and 18 reading buddies. By year’s end, K-9 Reading Buddies will have served nearly 350 children and is anticipated to reach over 450 by the end of 2009. Carol wants to expand the program throughout Chicagoland. You can help K-9 Reading Buddies by volunteering, signing up as a mentor (you will need a TDI certified therapy dog) or by fulfilling the K-9 Reading Buddies Wish List that includes: a pro bono tax attorney for 501(c)(3) filing assistance, a graphic artist (logo design), a web master, a printing company (posters, bookmarks, stickers) and meeting space (a dog-friendly room to accommodate training and new-member orientations). Carol can help you pursue TDI certification for your dog or learn more at www.tdi-dog.org. To contribute your time or services to K-9 Reading Buddies, contact Carol. 847-208-2267, cyuster@comcast.net Creative arts therapy, while not a new concept, is a new offering at the Highland Park Campus of the Music Institute of Chicago (MIC). Just last month MIC’s nationally recognized program, the Institute for Therapy through the Arts (ITA), opened on the Highland Park campus. ITA boasts Highland Park High School alumnus Ted Rubinstein � as its Clinical Director. Founded in 1975, ITA is one of the few comprehensive, community-based arts (continued on next page) Holiday 2008 / 13
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