Page 25 2025 Animal Stories Lincoln Daily News February 2025 that [my students] wanted,” Jordan said, “and if I could do, then I would.” When asked about any social-emotional growth in her students, and if Glacier and Frost have been able to help students grow in those ways, Jordan’s immediate response was “oh yeah, for sure.” She shared that she has some students who do not want to be at school, but as soon as they see either of the therapy dogs, their faces light up. Jordan also stated that she occasionally has students who will shut down. “If that student shuts down on a day that [Glacier or Frost] are here… they come out of it way quicker.” She also states that she sets a classroom goal for one of her dogs to come in each week, and she sees a lot of collaboration among her students to try to reach that goal each week. Jordan was then asked about any academic improvements since Glacier and Frost started coming in. While she said that she has not collected data on any specific academic skills, work completion overall has shown a significant improvement. Jordan also said that she tends to have more engagement and participation from her students when Glacier or Frost are around, specifically in reading. The next topic Jordan was asked about was her opinion on the best part of bringing her therapy dogs into the classroom. She shared that she loves to see the kindness her students try to show her dogs, and also the impact they have on her students. “If they’re having something going on at home, or if they have something that is bothering them here at school, it relieves that stress,” Jordan said. Jordan also shared that her goal is always to help her students. Having her dogs around to help her help her students is something that is really important to her. Both Glacier and Frost are certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, and Jordan has to have them recertified every year. Glacier and Frost also have to volunteer once every three months to continue their certification as well. Jordan shared that Glacier and Frost have volunteered at Heartland Community College and Eastern Illinois University in the past. Jordan then took a moment to talk about some things that are important to her regarding therapy dogs. When out in the community, Jordan has noticed that some people are afraid of Glacier and Frost, or they are not sure how to interact with them. One of the added benefits of bringing her dogs into the classroom is teaching them about how they should approach animals. She enjoys teaching her students “how you should approach an animal, and you should not be super excited Continued --
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