Throughout the Geneseo school district, a special kind of support can be found walking the halls, greeting students, and offering comfort with four paws and a wagging tail. Therapy dogs have become a valued presence throughout the district’s schools, bringing a sense of calm, connection, and joy to students and staff alike.
It all started with Bill Menendez, the former administrator and school board member, who in 2002 brought Rock, his black Labrador Retriever, into Southwest Elementary at the suggestion of his friend and colleague, Gary ZumMallen. The school quickly became Rock’s second home, as it did for Grogan, Menendez’s next dog.
“When I was younger, I loved dogs,” said Menendez. “Then, I went almost 30 years without one. I didn’t like that, so we got one, and I brought him into the school. They’ve been a wildly successful addition to our buildings ever since.”
From classrooms and counseling offices to hallways and special events, therapy dogs are helping create school environments where people feel a little more comfortable, connected, and cared for. Their presence is a reminder that sometimes, the simplest things—a gentle nudge, a wagging tail, or a few quiet minutes spent with a dog—can make a meaningful difference.
Leavey brings calm and connection to Southwest
At Southwest Elementary, a familiar black Labrador Retriever helps students and staff start their days with comfort and calm. Born in early 2022, Leavey is the most recent therapy dog belonging to Menendez, and she has quickly become a beloved part of the school community.
Brian Hofer, principal at Southwest, explains that her presence has become an important resource for supporting the social and emotional needs of students and staff.
“The goal has always been to provide additional social-emotional support, help reduce stress and anxiety, and create a warm, welcoming environment where students feel safe, supported, and connected,” said Hofer.
Leavey’s impact can be seen throughout the school day. Students and staff often brighten when they see her, and her calm demeanor helps create a peaceful atmosphere wherever she goes. For some students, time with Leavey serves as a positive behavior incentive or reward. For others, she offers comfort during moments of emotional struggles, helping them calm down and regain control of their emotions.
“Wherever Leavey is in the building, you'll often find one of the calmest and most peaceful environments in the school,” Hofer stated.
Leavey also helps students build responsibility and positive relationships. Students can take her for walks or accompany her outside, giving them an opportunity to care for her while enjoying time away from the classroom.
Her role begins before the school day even gets underway. Leavey greets students as they arrive at Southwest on most mornings, providing a positive start to the day.
When an individual student needs additional emotional support or a break from the classroom, Leavey can be called in to help. Her primary caregivers at Southwest, Instructional Coach Janelle Hickey (pictured above with Menendez) and Speech-Language Pathologist Heather Gainey, coordinate her schedule and make sure she is available when students and staff need her.
Whether she is greeting students at the door, accompanying a child on a walk or quietly sitting beside someone who needs support, Leavey has become much more than a therapy dog at Southwest Elementary. She is a source of comfort, connection and positivity.
Bodey spreads comfort, joy and calm at Millikin
At Millikin Elementary, a Mini Newfypoo named Bodey has become a familiar and welcome face for students and staff alike. Bodey is owned by Jenny Snodgrass, a special education teacher at the school. The pair train through Legacy Therapy Dogs, where they continue to attend classes and ongoing training.
Snodgrass was inspired to bring a therapy dog into the school after seeing the difference one made for a fellow educator. She recognized that Bodey could provide an important source of emotional support for students navigating the challenges of the school day.
“My goal was to help those that needed comfort while navigating sadness, anxiety, dysregulation or sensory overload, and give them a safe outlet while resetting,” Snodgrass said.
Bodey quickly became part of the daily rhythm at Millikin. He greets students and staff in the morning, occasionally joins students at recess, and ends the day helping with bus duty. For some students, seeing Bodey has become an essential part of their routine.
“One student comes in daily and runs to the dog giggling saying, ‘My Bodey!’ and receives kisses,” Snodgrass said.
But Bodey’s impact goes far beyond greetings and smiles. He can help students work through difficult emotions and regain the ability to participate in their school day. During one indoor recess, a fifth-grade student was crying and visibly upset. Bodey sat beside him, and eventually, the tears turned into smiles.
In another instance, a teacher contacted Snodgrass for help with a student who had curled into a ball with his head buried in his sweatshirt. Snodgrass brought Bodey into the room without saying a word.
“Within seconds, the student invited Bodey under his hood,” she said. “Minutes later, the student was fully regulated and ready to re-engage.”
Students aren't the only ones who benefit from Bodey. Staff members regularly ask for “Bodey time” after difficult days. It is common for teachers to gather around him after school, petting him as they decompress.
Throughout the day, students can take breaks with Bodey in a designated space in Snodgrass’ classroom.
“When he isn't actively working one-on-one, Bodey often lies in my doorway so passing students can give him a quick little pet,” explained Snodgrass. “We also visit classrooms to read stories and teach students about therapy dogs. Bodey has also attended school parties, listened to students read their journals, and has given students breaks by going on walks.”
From comforting a student in crisis to making staff laugh with his playful antics, Bodey has become an important part of Millikin’s school community, offering both a moment of joy and a steady source of support when it is needed most.
Geneseo High School’s Rika offers warmth and happiness
Rika, a yellow Labrador Retriever owned by Principal Tom Ryerson, is a full-time presence at Geneseo High School, providing companionship, stress relief and a calming influence wherever she goes.
Rika’s role at GHS grew from a commitment to supporting student mental health and creating a positive school climate. Her presence can help ease tension during busy hallway transitions and in offices, while making the school feel more welcoming.
“Rika’s presence creates a comforting, welcoming environment throughout GHS,” Ryerson said. “She helps de-escalate tension in hallway transitions and offices, making the school feel warmer, happier, and more supportive.”
For students dealing with anxiety, trauma or the everyday stresses of high school, Rika can provide a simple but effective way to pause and reset. A few moments spent interacting with her can help students ground themselves and regain their focus.
“Rika acts as an accessible emotional bridge,” Ryerson said. “For students experiencing anxiety, trauma, or high stress during the school day, interacting with Rika provides immediate sensory grounding and stress relief, helping them self-regulate and return to learning faster.”
Rika is available to all students and staff throughout the day. She has a regular role in the CARES classroom, which she visits daily, while Ryerson also makes a point of connecting her with individual students who may benefit from time with her. Her schedule is flexible, too, as Rika is essentially always “on call” and can be requested by students or staff when they need her.
Her impact extends to the adults in the building as well. In a demanding school environment, even a brief interaction with a friendly dog can offer a welcome moment of relief.
“School staff benefit from lowered stress levels and boosted morale during quiet interactions or brief visits with Rika throughout the day,” Ryerson said.
Whether she is helping a student regain composure, brightening an employee’s day or simply greeting people in the hallway, Rika has become an important part of the Geneseo High School community. Her presence provides a reminder that supporting mental health and building a positive school climate can sometimes begin with something as simple as a friendly dog by your side.
Lucy provides comfort and creativity to Geneseo Middle School
At Geneseo Middle School, Lucy, a Mini American Shepherd, works alongside her owner, Logan Hamilton, a seventh-grade art teacher, and helps students feel more comfortable, confident and connected in the classroom.
Hamilton first discovered the impact of therapy dogs during the pandemic, when a therapy dog group visited a high school in-service day to help teachers cope with the stress of remote learning. Until then, he had never considered the role therapy dogs could play in schools.
“I spent most of the day petting the dogs, talking with their handlers, and learning about the incredible impact they could have on people's well-being,” Hamilton said. “That evening, I told my wife, ‘There's something I have to do.’”
Over the next two years, Hamilton selected and trained Lucy while also learning how to integrate a therapy dog into the busy environment of a middle school art room. He saw an opportunity to support students returning to school after the pandemic, as well as those who found seventh-grade art intimidating.
“Lucy became the perfect bridge—helping students relax, lowering their stress, and creating a welcoming environment where they felt safe to participate, take risks, and ultimately be successful,” Hamilton said.
Today, all seventh-grade students at GMS have the opportunity to interact with Lucy when she is in the building. She is also incorporated into Hamilton’s art curriculum, helping students understand challenging concepts. During lessons about how artists communicate meaning, for example, Hamilton demonstrates how tone affects communication by giving Lucy commands in different tones and observing how she responds. Students then connect the lesson to their own interactions with others and to the ways artists use visual choices to create tone.
For students, Lucy can offer more than a break from a difficult project. She can provide a quiet presence during a challenging day or simply celebrate a success.
“Lucy has a remarkable way of making everyone feel seen, valued, and loved,” Hamilton said. “Sometimes we all need a nonjudgmental friend to celebrate our successes or simply sit beside us through challenges.”
Lucy’s work extends beyond GMS, too. Through the American Red Cross, she has supported military personnel at the Rock Island Arsenal and the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria, participated in deployment events across Illinois, and assisted with disaster response during regional flooding and community crises.
Whether she is sitting beside a frustrated student or helping make an art lesson memorable, Lucy has become more than a therapy dog at GMS. She is part of a school climate built around comfort, connection and the confidence to try.
Walter a popular presence at the unit office
Though he’s only two-and-a-half years old, Walter, a Gordon Setter who belongs to Adam Fluck, the district’s communications and digital content director, has already made a lasting impression on the people who work at Geneseo’s unit office.
As a regular presence in the office, Walter brings an enthusiastic greeting, a friendly face and a little extra joy to the daily routines of district staff. While the breed’s well-documented energy might suggest that Walter could be a handful, those who spend time with him know that he can be remarkably calm and situationally aware.
“We love having Walter in the office,” said Superintendent Dr. Laura Delgado. “For as much energy as we know he has, he is always well behaved and as happy to be around us as we are to be around him. His affectionate nature makes him a welcome companion during busy days filled with meetings, phone calls, and the many responsibilities that come with running a school district.”
Delgado said Walter is part of the larger picture that exists throughout Geneseo’s schools, where dogs have proven their special ability to brighten people’s days.
“I have a cat at home, but there is no denying the impact that our friends Walter, Leavey, Bodey, Rika and Lucy have on the students and staff who are able to be around them,” Delgado said. “Whether they are comforting a student, easing someone’s stress or simply making someone smile, dogs are making a real difference in our schools. A little time with a friendly pup can make a tough day better, for students and staff alike.”