Service Dog Graduation 2015,
-
About the event
Annual service dog graduation held at the Glendale Civic Center each year. HS students who have trained service dogs hand their dogs over to military veterans, wounded first responders and other recipients on this date.
The Foundation for Service Dog Support, Inc. (FSDS) was founded in 2008 by two medical professionals and set up to address the gaps in services we witnessed in service dog training options here in Arizona. We operate the only youth-based service dog training program of its type in the U.S. The FSDS sends State certified teachers to local high school campuses to teach this unique two year vocational course to teens who wish to acquire service dog training skills for high school credit. At the end of the program, the service dogs, now trained and certified, are awarded to local Arizonans who are in need of assistance. Preference is given to military veterans and first responders who have risked their lives to protect their communities and country. The dogs are awarded at no out-of-pocket cost to those in need.
Our commitment to education does not stop with our teenage students. We are not simply a dog training program, we are a true education program in every sense. We are the only service dog program that is staffed by State certified teachers. We have also listened to our recipients and responded to their stated needs. Many individuals who seek assistance from us have learning challenges that are caused by their illness or injury. From our military veterans and first responders with traumatic brain injuries, to our recipients who suffer from chronic pain or polypharmacy issues...medication that affect memory and concentration, traditional programs are not within their grasp. The average service dog training program that professionally trains the dogs holds a 2-3 week full time boot camp at the end of the training. Recipients are required to attend full time to learn everything that there is to know about service dog laws and public access rules, grooming and nutrition as well as 50+ verbal commands and hand signals. This is simply impossible for those with learning challenges. We have created a more humane system of educational delivery that involves online didactic education supported by a State certified teacher, followed by classroom attendance for a few hours at a time twice a month for 4.5 months prior to receiving their dog. This allows individuals as much time as needed to complete didactic lessons, as well as limited time that they must be in a classroom at once. We have had great success with this system. A recent generous grant to improve this system has allowed us to modernize and revitalize our curriculum, and our improved system will be launched in July of 2015.
Our youth-based program began in 2009 with just 8 students. Today, we have 24 students on two college preparatory high school campuses. These exceptional students are earning their high school and Associate's degree simultaneously, and working to train their dog. The average student in our program devotes approximately 1,500 hours to training over the two academic years that they participate. A rigorous 3 month Orientation must be successfully completed in order for the students to earn a service dog in training. In addition to training skills, students must also certify in canine first aid and CPR. Our students and recipients have won numerous awards including the Phi Theta Kappa All-USA Scholarship, 2 Violet Richardson Award Winners, the AMW All-Star Award, and the Cox After the Bell Award for Academic Excellence.
Recognizing that these students are the leaders of tomorrow, we have incorporated leadership training into our program. The FSDS has established four pillar of leadership for youths: Moral Character, The Power of Positive Communication, Team Building and Philanthropy. We believe that these pillars will help them to become strong and positive leaders of tomorrow. Students in our program are required to participate in community leadership experiences along the way, and some of the opportunities that have been provided to our students thus far include speaking at National Conferences, Canine first aid and CPR demonstrations, service dog skill demonstrations and education for younger school age children on service dog etiquette.
In 2012 the FSDS launched a Pawsitive Community Program, a "pay-it-forward" program that encourages individuals to volunteer here in our community. Individuals who have never served their community before and are unable to afford the cost of a service dog are permitted to earn their dog by providing a minimum of 250 hours of community service. We have also built collaborative relationships with other local groups to permit their volunteers to donate hours to those in need whose disabilities prohibit them from completing all of their hours. To date, volunteers have donated over 3,870 hours.
Why should you sponsor?
-
101-250 attendees expected
50% Male Attendees
50% Female Attendees
