Penny The Therapy Dog Motivates And Reduces Stress At Quaker Valley High School

LEETSDALE, Pa. (KDKA) -- There is a new student at Quaker Valley High School, only she's not what you'd expect.

Penny is the newest member of the high school. The English bulldog is part of a pilot program to help bring down stress levels and motivate students.

The therapy dog is part of a plan two years in the works to bring a new atmosphere of positivity and relief to the school. At any given time, students can come into Penny's room and spend time with her. The dog also makes the rounds to classrooms.

Principal Deborah Riccobelli said she's impressed with the results so far.

"With the year that students had last year and coming back and still not being quite back to normal, having something like Penny, our therapy dog, is just one more thing we can do to provide a layer of support for students and staff, to help everyone navigate whatever our new normal becomes," Ricobeli said. "She's a big part of that."

Senior Veronica Martin is the perfect example of the love and impact Penny has made.

"If I have a really bad panic attack, I normally leave school because I can't handle it anymore," Martin said. "With Penny, I'm able to have a few minutes to pull myself together, so I don't have to leave and miss class."