We started a new group on September 10th. 14 kids now!!! Two have six weeks till graduation, BE and M. Three have graduated and are mentors now, N, T, and D (H and N have both gone home now!). And nine new kids, J, D, Z, Bri, B, H, D, G, and one that hasn't started yet and will hopefully start today. The dogs this time around are Jeezy (Pit Bull), Harmony (Hound mix of some sort), Bella (Boxer), Emmett (Hound Mix), Keywii (Beagle), Chance (Beagle mix), and Hazel (Pit/Lab mix). Three of them were sick and I'm thinking they won't be back today. One of them, Chance, will probably be replaced because he was VERY sick. It's a great group of dogs and kids.

H and N have gone home now. N went home right after graduation and has continued counseling with the therapist she saw while in the JJC. H went home yesterday. She will also continue seeing her therapist, three times a week. I'd like to say I'm very happy for H but while we were working with the dogs Tuesday she came to me and told me she was leaving Wednesday. I said I was very happy for her. She didn't look happy about it. I asked her what was wrong and she said that she didn't want to go home and that she wishes she could just stay at the JJC. So now I'm thinking...Is it really that bad for her at home that she would rather stay at the JJC or does she love her new friends, her therapist, the employees, and our program so much that she'd just rather stay? It really makes me worry about her. I prayed and cried for her several times yesterday(this is where the "job" gets difficult).
During class Tuesday H asked if she could read out loud what she wrote in her journal. She wrote......

Today is my last day in the dog program and its actually really upsetting to me. I'm going to miss Miss Lisa and all the other helpers in this program a lot. I appreciate and can't even to begin to explain how thankful I am to have them help us. I learned so much about myself and others in this program. I am very happy that I got to be in this dog program and got to experience meeting such wonderful people. I'm truly going to miss each and every one that devoted their time to us.

(tears again)

This is from a 15 year old child. A 15 year old girl that was incarcerated and if people on the outside knew she had been incarcerated, they wouldn't give her the time of day, possibly even her own parents. I know some adults that aren't thankful for much at all and have probably forgotten some of the kind things people have done for them. H will never forget and now will go on to help others and more dogs.
H is just one of the many reasons why I LOVE this program!!!

Here is another reason.....Tuesday N wrote.....

I feel very excited to be able to mentor the other participants! (for the most part) There is certain people who I can't stand, but I've been working with Mr. Berry on my tolerance for others.

Those of you that have met N can see this coming out of his mouth! He's so sweet, wants to know EVERYTHING about dogs and animals, and is working VERY hard on himself to be a better person. He also speaks his mind.

And another reason......Z was held back from the program for weeks. Fortunately, he has people working with him and fighting for him to get him into the program. Z gets into a lot of trouble. He is the boy that you might look at and think he's the tough boy in the class. Tuesday Z wrote......

I feel good that we got a good dog that wasn't treated well. She is so cute and needs someone who will care about her. We named her Harmony and it fits her perfectly. I'm about to cry because my dog is really sick.

Z also choose a pink folder for his journal with a kitten on the front and wrote "Ziggy" underneath it. Not so "tough" after all. Can't judge a book by it's cover.

So those are just a few of stories from the class. I'll post as much as I can this time around.

Thanks so much for reading! Thanks to the volunteers helping this time around....Nicole, Annie, and Barb!!!

Lisa