This article won an honorable mention in the 2024 Michigan Interscholastic Press Association spring awards ceremony.
Recently, there have been many discussions about implementing an Emotional Support Dog (ESD) at the high school. What people may not know is that right down the road at the Northview Next campus, the staff and students have already been utilizing the extra support given to them by a certified therapy dog named Maverick.
Maverick, the campus therapy dog, has been accompanying English teacher Betsy Verwys, whom he also lives with, to school for the past two years. Maverick began at Northview Next as her personal ESD as part of a pilot program to see if an ESD in the building would benefit the school. With Maverick’s recent certification as a therapy dog, he received a special certification that differentiates him from being just an ESD and is now at the school long term. He is the first certified therapy dog in the school district. His pilot performance was a success and is now growing to other schools such as Crossroads and Highlands who have taken on their own dogs which provide comfort and therapy to students, staff and visitors.
“They [the school board] were trying it out to see how it runs. He came two years ago when he was eight weeks old,” Verwys said. “If we fast forward, the district actually decided to have a therapy dog program.”
Maverick has recently earned the title of Nationally Certified Therapy Dog, an accommodation earned through intensive training. He has a knack for empathy.
“Maverick’s certification is actually as a therapy dog, meaning he doesn’t have any super powers other than his ability to read students really well and tending to kids who have emotional needs,” Verwys said.
While normally found in Verwys’ classroom, Maverick’s certification means he can be called to any part of the school to assist students through difficult times or intense emotions.
“I’ve gotten called into meetings with him [Maverick] before where there’s a social worker and a student needed him to calm her down and he’s really good at it,” Verwys said.
It’s hard for the Northview Next community to picture an environment where Maverick isn’t present, but Verwys wasn’t always planning to have him become such an integral part of the school. However, her mind was swiftly changed after a conversation with Maverick’s breeder which hit close to home.
“To be honest, when I got Maverick that [him becoming a therapy dog] was not my intention,” Verwys said. “The breeder had told me that she had several dogs who were therapy dogs and she did a lot of work with a program and her dogs worked with Veterans. My son is currently serving in the US Navy so that really struck home with me.”
Northview Next science teacher Brian Hendricks has had the chance to watch both students and staff interact with Maverick. He believes Maverick has taken on an indispensable role on campus.
“Maverick has brought a calming sense to our building and the students,” Hendricks said. “He makes any bad day better by his presence and can be the sole reason students come to school. Maverick has been a great addition to our Northview Next family and is very beneficial to our success.”
The actual training portion for Maverick becoming a therapy dog consisted of a lot of different aspects. Maverick thrived through each step.
“The process to get him able to come in was a lengthy process, but worth it because of how important he is at our school,” Verwys said. “He had to go through some initial training and feedback and go through some simulations of settings to see how he would react. He did really well so I started taking him through the whole certification process, which is a heavy lift.”
While there are many positive reasons to bring Maverick to school, Verwys has had to manage another added responsibility on her already busy plate. However, some of the students have been able to step up and assist her workload.
“I think the biggest challenge was the fact that throughout my day, he’s always in the back of my mind, keeping track of him and how he’s doing,” Verwys said. “There are certain kids who took to him really well. I can trust them when I have to step into another situation.”
These students are eager to assist Verwys because of the amount of help they receive from Maverick. Maverick helps to calm emotional students, gets them through difficult meetings with social workers and also can provide much needed brain breaks throughout the day. Student Lillianna Misner appreciates having Maverick in her school for numerous reasons.
“Maverick is great, the sweetest dog I have ever met, really,” Misner said. “I’m so grateful for him because he has helped me through bad times and cheered me up when I was sad. He is very good at comforting people when they need it and he is very playful. He gives good vibes and I feel like we are all more comfortable and willing to work towards our goals with Maverick by our sides.”
Verwys agrees that Maverick has become an essential part of their community.
“If I’m here, he’s here. If he’s not in the building, the vibe and the mood is totally different,” Verwys said. “He is a part of this building.”
