We wish we had a teacher like this in school.
Special education teacher Pat Kaynaroglu has found a way to connect with her students and work with animals.
She has transitioned her skills as a service dog trainer to her teaching skill set after starting The Cody Project four years ago.
Named after the first dog she worked with 19 years ago, The Cody Project is an after-school program that takes middle school and high school students through the process of training a search-and-rescue dog.
The students aren’t just helping the dogs (and eventually people they rescue), but themselves as well, as Kaynaroglu explains:
“I think their self-esteem immediately jumps. This makes learning real. This makes you invested in your community. This puts your skills as a builder or an artist to real use. What they’re doing really matters.”
Students can stay in the program for as long they’re in the school system and learn first aid for dogs, dog safety, and to clicker-train the dogs.
The students play games with the puppies, like hide and seek in a tunnel system the class builds together, to get them excited about searching and rescuing people.
We think this sounds like a GREAT program and like Pat Kaynaroglu, would like to see the Cody Project take off across the country.
Kaynaroglu says:
“It’s great that we get our search dogs trained and it’s great that we have kids feeling better about themselves.”
Absolutely! Keep up the good work!