Emily Buell – Helping Disabled Students with her College Bound Canines!

It’s that time of year again……back-to-school time! For kindergarteners through those heading off to college, it’s a time of new beginnings and new challenges. But for students with disabilities, especially those entering college, the challenges of a new school year may be overwhelming.  High school student Emily Buell realized this, and she decided to do something about it!

In order to help disabled people as they attend college, Emily founded College Bound Canines, a student-run organization that trains dogs to provide such assistance. The dogs Emily and her group train learn to help with the many tasks a disabled person might need to do in a college day, including the following:

• carrying books and other items
• pushing elevator and handicap buttons
• opening and closing doors
• bringing objects to registers in stores and cafeterias

But the most important thing Emily and her College Bound Canines do is give disabled people the freedom to pursue college educations and live their lives to the fullest!

In this video, Emily shows the great assistance College Bound Canines are able to provide.

Additional Resources:

• Here’s an article that has lots of great information about Emily and her College Bound Canines.
• Here’s an article that describes the dedicated training the College Bound Canines get!

Topics for Discussion:

• What qualities do you think Emily has that make her want to help disabled students?
• Imagine if you were disabled. How would your school day be different than it is now?

Take Action:

• Visit the College Bound Canines website to learn more about this amazing organization and how you can help support it!
• Visit the Service Dogs America website to learn more about other service dogs and how you can help support them!

Teacher Features:

• Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
• Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.