The Bedtime Brigade Spotlights its Furry Co-Author, Leonard!
Wednesday, February 5, 2025-The Expedition School, Hillsborough, NC
The Huggable Heroes took on a group of excited students at The Expedition School in Hillsborough today! The students were participants in an extracurricular class entitled, “Introduction to Service Dogs,” which represents a collaborative effort between TES and the nonprofit organization Eyes Ears Nose and Paws, (EENP). The class provides young students with a foundational knowledge of the role of service dogs for individuals with medical and/or mobility needs, as well as insights into their specialized training, and important key ideas to remember when coming across a working dog out in the larger community. As a graduating Mobility Service Dog Team from EENP’s program, Jennifer and Leonard were thrilled to be asked to serve as guest speakers.
As part of her chat with the class, Jennifer explained basic information about Cerebral Palsy, the neurological condition that she has managed since birth. To help the students grasp the concepts in a fun and visual way, Jennifer used a wooden marionette puppet to illustrate the importance of the connections between the brain (the puppet’s main control bar,) and the muscles (the strings attached to each limb.) They saw that when everything was properly connected, the ‘brain’ could activate the ‘muscles,’ but when some of the strings were removed from the control bar, movement was either impossible or inefficient. This demonstration helped the class to clearly understand that Cerebral Palsy involves some degree of disruption in the brain’s ability to fully do its job in communicating with a person’s muscles.
The students asked some great questions! Jennifer’s favorite by far was curiosity about the harness that Leonard wears and the tasks that he helps her with daily, aside from walking and general navigation of crowded and complex indoor and outdoor environments. In response to their inquisitiveness, Jennifer and Leonard offered a firsthand demonstration of this talented, furry hero helping her to and from the floor, in the event of a need to rest, or in recovery following a fall. Leonard was also able to show off his handy retrieval skills in picking up his leash from the floor afterward. Enjoy the 2-minute video of their work together below! Jennifer also talked about the fun things that Leonard loves to do, like walking on the beach, playing tug, having playdates with other pup friends, and going on ‘sniff walks’ with helpers during his off time!
Jennifer and Leonard demonstrate navigation to and from the floor together, as well as leash retrieval. The students loved it!
The students learned that Leonard also enjoys his status as co-author of The Bedtime Brigade series. He loves hanging out with Jennifer as she writes the stories! Leonard has an extra ‘feather in his cap,’ as his entrance into Jennifer’s life became the inspiration for the evolution of the story, Super Bear and the Big Move. Her experiences with Leonard during Client Team Training, the two-week program in which they were matched and began their work together, inspired the story’s finished concept. Super Bear’s adventures echo the beginnings of Jennifer’s training journey with Leonard, as it related to her navigating fears about the inevitable changes involved with a new service dog partnership. With immense gratitude and appreciation, Jennifer dedicates the story itself to EENP, in recognition of the organization’s continued efforts to partner people with assistance dogs, and subsequently, to promote lasting positive change in their lives.
EENP staff and clients with their furry partners and pups in training celebrate with Jennifer and Leonard at the Launch Party for The Bedtime Brigade series in October, 2024. Oh, WHAT A NIGHT!
Super Bear’s story is proudly dedicated to EENP.
Learn more about EENP here:
Jennifer and Leonard were proud to leave a set of both books from The Bedtime Brigade series, along with their accompanying Huggable Heroes with the Guidance Counselor at The Expedition School for the benefit of students and staff!
Shop Super Bear and the Big Move and the rest of the series here: