Phoenix high school club donates service dogs to disabled veterans
Nov 11, 2017, 5:03 PM | Updated: Nov 12, 2017, 12:59 pm
Odin Ayala and Zulu (Photo courtesy of Phoenix Union High School District)
(Photo courtesy of Phoenix Union High School District)
PHOENIX – Two military veterans were paired with service dogs Thursday during an assembly at Camelback High School.
According to the Phoenix Union High School District, U.S. Air Force veteran Sebastiana Lopez and U.S. Army veteran Odin Ayala were paired with “Carter” and “Zulu,” service dogs that worked with students in the Spartan Paws Club while in training at Camelback High School.
Both amputees, Lopez and Ayala were paired with the service dogs through the Dogs for Our Brave program, which provides service dogs to disabled veterans at no cost. The program collaborated with the Spartan Paws Club to facilitate the match.
Spartan Paws Club is described as “an inclusion-based club and the only service dog training program that incorporates students with disabilities during the training process.” The students are taught basic job skills related to caring for the dogs while socializing the dogs and teaching it basic skills needed to function as a service companion.
According to the club’s Facebook page, the Spartan Paws Club was founded by Maddie Souder in February of 2015. Souder, a 2016 graduate of Camelback’s Montessori College Prep Class, partnered with Exceptional Student Specialist and English teacher, Valerie Newman, who sponsors the club.
The club collaborates with Lifeline Assistance Dogs, a valley based program that provides service dogs for children and adults with disabilities.
The collaboration allows students to work with a variety of dogs during weekly meetings. Three other dogs graduated Thursday with “Carter” and “Zulu” and moved on to an advanced training program before they are placed with a partner.
The district expects as many as five dogs in training to be on the Camelback campus this year.
