Students and staff at Neal Elementary School have a new four-legged staff member.
Mochi, the Comfort Dog, officially joined the team on December 4 during the P.A.W.S. Placement Program inside the cafeteria. P.A.W.S. stands for Pups Assisting Wellness and Support. She’s a 10-month-old lab.
It’s an initiative Principal Juanita Ontiberos is excited to see come to fruition after years of work to make it happen.
"There's a lot of excitement just having her here. I think it is going to greatly impact our students and just give them an outlet and a way to find some peace and calm," Ontiberos said.
“About 21 months ago, our foundation board really started to look for creative ways to try to meet the social and emotional needs of our students and our staff,” said Sarah Braden, Bryan ISD Education Foundation Executive Director.
Braden said the goal is to eventually have a comfort dog at every school in Bryan ISD.
“We found Interquest C.A.R.E.S to partner with us," Braden added. Sarah D’Olivera is the Counselor at Neal Elementary and will be Mochi’s handler.
“We’re very excited. It has been such an amazing opportunity and experience in these just past two days seeing the difference that Mochi’s made on our campus for students and staff. And I can’t even imagine what the future has for her in the years to come. She’s just such a blessing to everybody,” she said.
Mochi has been specially trained to work in the school environment.
"We’re really changing lives one at a time and now we’re doing it even more with the help of Mochi,” said D’Olivera.
One more Comfort Dog came to Bryan ISD in December. Rhys joined Ross Elementary School.
In November, the first Comfort Dog, June, joined Kemp - Carver Elementary School.