Zach, a Labrador retriever, helps teachers with their reading, math and social studies lessons and helps correct disruptive behavior.
Yudi, a Matoaca High School ninth-grader, couldn't stop laughing when Zach, a teaching assistant, licked her face.
Zach, a 2-year-old Labrador retriever, had his front paws on Yudi's lap and licked her all over her thick glasses. Yudi laughed harder and hugged Zach, kissed him and gave him a cookie bone treat.
About two months ago, Penny Edwards, a teacher and coach at the Chesterfield County high school, brought in Zach to enhance teaching for students with disabilities at the school. The four-legged assistant helps teachers with their reading, math and social studies lessons and helps correct disruptive behavior, Edwards said.
She put in a request for an assistance dog with the Canine Companions for Independence, a nonprofit organization that raises and trains dogs and donates them to assist people with disabilities. The company has placed two other canines in schools in the state, for a total of 32 in Virginia.
Edwards attended two weeks of training, and in January, she brought Zach to live with her.
She brings him to school and, for two periods each day, she takes him to visit students.
Recently, she brought Zach into Jesse Helbert's reading class. She was reading a book about dogs' owners going to the supermarket and buying treats.
"Do you like broccoli?" Edwards asked Zach.
He barked a no, she said.
Helbert said Zach has been a wonderful asset to the department.
"He allows the teachers to use creative and interactive methods in lesson planning," she said. "Zach is able to act out various scenes from the book. This makes the book come to life and allows for better understanding by my students."
In math class, students count puppy biscuits, measure Zach's height and length, and work on word problems involving Zach. In social studies, students learn about the life span of a dog and how to groom Zach and brush his teeth.
Zach also helps to curb disruptive behavior and calm students, Edwards said. One student was having a bad day three to four times a week, and teachers told him that if he behaved, he would get to spend more time with Zach. In the morning, Zach meets him at the bus and frequently spends five minutes with the student.
"The student has gone from having three to four bad days in a week to one bad day in three weeks," she said. "That's amazing."
Edwards said she did not realize Zach would not only contribute to the enhancement of education but also to the well-being of the students.
"Dogs love you unconditionally," she said. "He doesn't see the students' disabilities or limitations. He sees the person."
The school is building a 36-by-42-foot pen for Zach to play fetch with the students. That will help the students with their range of motion, coordination, balance and following directions, Edwards said.
"They love to see him run," Edwards said.
Back in Helbert's reading class, ninth-grade student Malcolm took his turn with Zach. He wanted to hear Zach speak, and Edwards asked him to say the command very slowly. The dog looked at him.
"Zach, speak!" Malcolm said.
Zach barked. Malcolm laughed and gave him a treat. Then he got down on his knee and high-fived Zach's left paw before Malcolm went to his next activity.
The remaining students continued petting Zach, who got down on the floor asking for a belly rub.
"He never gets tired of being played with," Edwards said. "He never gets tired of working with the kids."
Contact Juan Antonio Lizama at (804) 649-6513 or jlizama@timesdispatch.com.
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