Hope View Elementary students, staff enjoy Service Dog Day
It’s a ruff job, but somebody’s got to do it.
Fifteen service dogs in training, as well as their dedicated raisers, visited classrooms at Hope View Elementary School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday morning.
Students love the canines, and it showed as the Ocean View School District campus celebrated its annual Service Dog Day.
Kids in Gara Flanagan’s second-grade class had plenty of questions for the dogs’ trainers, keeping the conversation alive for a little longer than may have been intended.
“At this point, I think you’re avoiding your science test,” Flanagan told her students with a smile.
Service Dog Day does present a fun diversion for the Hope View kids. It’s been a passion project for Hope View teacher Holly Sjogren, who has been raising money for nonprofit Guide Dogs of America for more than a decade.
Sjogren has had several guide dogs in training since 2017 as part of Guide Dogs of America — Tender Loving Canines. Puppy-raisers take care of the dog from 8 weeks old to about 18 months old, and from there they graduate to become full service dogs, provided free of charge to blind and visually impaired people.
Students at Hope View become attached to the dogs. They also learn valuable lessons, like asking before petting a service animal.
Sjogren’s current canine companion is Bula, a 6-month-old who is half Golden retriever and half Labrador retriever.
“It’s a fabulous thing for the students to learn about,” Sjogren said. “Not just being around dogs and learning the etiquette of service dogs, but just learning that we’re not paid. This is a volunteer job, and hopefully when they’re older they can figure out what they like to do and volunteer somewhere, learn how to give back. This is all about giving back to others, helping a life be transformed because of these dogs.”
At a school-wide assembly Wednesday, Sjogren announced that five district schools and the district office helped raise $3,200 for Guide Dogs of America this school year, along with corporate partners Round Table Pizza and Starbucks. She presented a check to Guide Dogs of America — Tender Loving Canines President Russ Gittlen.
District Supt. Michael Conroy, Assistant Supt. Julianne Hoefer and trustee Morgan Westmoreland were also all on hand for the festivities.
“One of the biggest challenges at Guide Dogs of America — Tender Loving Canines is [finding] puppy-raisers,” Gittlen said. “The fact that the school district has allowed us to place dogs here to be raised, it’s just a great thing. It really helps out our organization.”
The spirit has spread to other campuses in the district. Village View fourth-grade teacher Elizabeth Pavloff attended the event with Jada, a 13-month-old Labrador and guide dog in training.
Deborah Surfas, a third-grade teacher at Golden View, also came with her 11-month-old guide dog in training, a Labrador named Poppy.
Surfas is retiring this year after 28 years in the district, but Poppy has been a worthwhile companion for that last year of teaching.
“Everybody loves her, and she loves everybody,” Surfas said. “When she was in heat and she had to go to a facility, everybody kept saying, ‘When’s Poppy coming back? Where’s Poppy?’ ... It’s been amazing.”
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.
