Fur Kidz Sake at Fairview Elementary

Fur Kidz Sake volunteer Amy Siniscalchi and her dog, Mika, work with a Fairview Elementary School student.

By Tim Reaves
BCS Communications Department

It’s been a doggone good six weeks at Fairview Elementary School!

Students have been reading aloud to certified therapy dogs. The program, sponsored by local nonprofit Fur Kidz Sake, kids across Buncombe County Schools build self-esteem, strengthen their reading skills, and form a special relationship with the dog and handler.

“Because they are reading to a dog and not a person, they have a chance to just enjoy the experience of reading out loud (and greeting a friendly dog),” said FES media specialist Karen Yutzy. “I have really enjoyed working with Fur Kidz Sake and look forward to partnering with them again in the future to bring this opportunity to our students.”

It would be hard to overestimate the importance of reading skills in a student's overall education, she said. Reading skills affect and improve so many other areas – writing, speaking, even math with all the word problems students are asked to decode and solve.

Thanks to Fur Kidz Sake volunteers Rebecca Wright and Amy Siniscalchi for bringing Piper and Mika to enrich our students’ lives at Fairview.

Check out this video from when we strapped a GoPro to Piper's back!

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