Therapy dogs encourage NYC elementary school students to read with adorable program

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Therapy dogs support elementary students learning to read

Therapy dogs and their owners visit P.S. 59 Beekman Hill International School to sit with students as they read.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Students at an elementary school in Manhattan are discovering the joy of reading, along with some very special friends.

Every Wednesday, therapy dogs and their owners visit P.S. 59 Beekman Hill International School to sit with students as they read.

"I always know she's listening to me when she's laying down on me. I know my reading is good," said elementary student Kamora Latson.

Nekia Wise is the school's principal and she said the therapy dogs are a huge bright spot for the children who sometimes have a rough time at home.

"The recipricole relationship between the students the therapy animal and also just foundational reading, just to bring it all together in ways that support literacy and social and emotional ;earning was one of my top priorities," Wise said. "I knew that the R.E.A.D. program would be a great partner in that initiative."

The New York Therapy Animals group is part of the Reading Education Assistance Dogs program was launched in Salt Lake City in 1999.

Since then, the program has grown to serve several cities with more than 7,000 therapy teams that are registered to help children improve their reading and communication skills.

To learn more about the program offered in the five boroughs visit the New York Therapy Animals website.

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