Opinion

Discussion

February 9, 2013

Citizens of the Week: Beverly Hedges and her reading dog

The Daily Citizen

Blue Ridge School physical education teacher Beverly Hedges didn’t know her adopted Portuguese water dog would have such an impact on so many lives when they joined forces a couple of years ago.

Dubbed a “reading buddy,” nearly 2-year-old “Jag” has been making the rounds in the community. Hedges started out taking her to the school as a companion. Since she is hypoallergenic and well-behaved, her principal readily agreed to the arrangement.

Soon, Jag began getting assignments. Instead of staying with Hedges all day, she was allowed to sit in with young readers. Somehow, reading to a dog makes reading easier and more fun to struggling learners, several teachers said.

During the past year or two, Jag became a well-known fixture at the school and a nearly constant companion of Hedges, who has set up a Facebook page (Jag Blue Ridge School Reading Buddy) in which the dog “posts” about her upcoming activities. Recently, Jag and Hedges have been coming to the Dalton-Whitfield County Library so Jag can visit with other little readers.

In addition to library visits, Jag helps kids who are struggling with math, participates in community meetings of Readers to Leaders — a community initiative to improve literacy — and has been to the Chatsworth Healthcare Center.

“I have been approached about Jag possibly being used in Juvenile Court,” Hedges said. “This is being done in other circuits. If a child has to testify in open court, Jag can be brought in for the child to talk to her as to hopefully keep the child less scared.”

Now that’s a thoughtful dog-owner team. Anyone can ensure a dog is fed, watered, groomed and cared for, but to share their dog in a way that touches so many lives is going above and beyond the call of ... duty.

For their efforts to brighten the lives of so many children who need a friend, The Daily Citizen names Beverly Hedges and her dog Jag Citizens of the Week.

 

Text Only
Opinion

Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
AP Video
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel? Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting