Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go to school every day and have the opportunity to play with a dog to relieve stress? Many schools are now giving this delightful possibility to their students.

Some schools are now adopting puppies for the students to play with to reduce stress while teaching them how to care for another living thing.

Mike, an Australian Shepherd and Bichon mix, is  the ‘Director of Love and Hospitality’ at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic High School in Lee’s Summit, Mo., a suburb of Kansas City.

Playing with dogs has been proven to reduce stress among high school students, and dogs bring so much joy into people’s lives. Also, passing cute dogs in the hallway has the ability to make anyone smile.

I believe adding a dog for students to play with would be a great addition to Stratford Academy. Stratford should join the list of schools with dogs by adding a puppy program next year.

Adding a puppy would give students the opportunity to take a break in the middle of a stressful school day and bring them so much joy. Despite everyone’s differences, we could all share this dog and the joy it will bring to each of our lives.

My dogs, Nala and Molly, are two rescue dogs that bring so much joy to my life every day. They get so excited to see me and they make me feel so loved. Many kids do not get to experience this at home for a multitude of reasons but we should give the students the opportunity to have this blessing at school.

I have had a few days where I spent a class period playing with a dog and it made the school day much more bearable and enjoyable than a regular day. Having a dog on campus could drastically improve students’ days and maybe even their grades by taking off some of the pressure they face daily.