Press Releases

Healing Species Gains National and Local Attention

Compassion Education™ and Violence Prevention Program featured in USA Today and Receives local “Catalyst Award”Orangeburg, SC – The Healing Species Compassion Education™ and Violence Prevention Program gets national attention in today’s issue (9.28.11) of USA Today, in the article “Dogs Help Schools Lick Bullies” by Sharon L. Peters.  The article features Healing Species as an effective means of changing minds and behaviors in the classroom – leading to less discipline problems and more learning.  

The article is featured online at http://yourlife.usatoday.com/parenting-family/story/2011-09-28/Dogs-help-schools-lick-bullies/50592574/1. 

Quoting the article:

“The long-term effect on civility is indisputable, says Cheri Brown Thompson, founder of the Orangeburg, S.C.-based Healing Species, a decade-old program that uses rescued dogs in a 13-week classroom course. Independent research found suspensions decreased 55%, acts of aggression decreased 62% and acts of empathy increased 42% in classrooms where the 13-week, 1-hour-a-week curriculum had been presented, she says. Moreover, school officials report less bullying and violence "Even academic scores go up," she says, citing the group's studies comparing standardized test scores a year before and after the class. "The teacher is spending less time refereeing, and kids settle down better."”

Healing Species has also received local attention recently at the Central Carolina Community Foundation’s Annual Celebration held on September 16th, receiving the “David W. Robinson Catalyst Award” for recognition of leadership, creativity, vision, and commitment in addressing community issues. Founder, Cheri Brown Thompson also received the “Best of Philanthropy Award- Honoring Community Champions” for the Individuals category, and is featured in the September 2011 issue of Columbia Metropolitan Magazine and currently online at http://www.columbiametro.com/septbopawards.html.