Friends Fur Life:
Teen Stress & How Animals Can Help
Stevie Bernice Bautista of Pueblo of Laguna
Friends Fur Life:
Teen Stress & How Animals Can Help
Stevie Bernice Bautista of Pueblo of Laguna
Kadence Tapia, 2022
Friends 'Fur' Life, 2022
Research Log 1
"Sharing One Skin" an article by Jeanette Armstrong
The Okanagan people are very deeply connected to their inner selves, to each other, and to the Earth. According to Jeanette Armstrong, the Okanagan identify themselves within their bodies and have "four main capacities of self" that work together, and they are the physical self, the emotional self, the thinking-intellectual self, and the spiritual self. They also believe that every being is connected to the Earth. To the Okanagan, everything and everyone is alive for a purpose, and no one is insignificant. Everything a person does affects everything and everyone around them. If a person or people perish, the other life forms around them perish also. Everything has a bond and without it, there would be no life. It is our responsibility to keep that bond safe and intact.
Armstrong, Jeanette. “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community,” in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds), The Case Against the Global Economy. San Francisco, CA, Sierra Club Books, 1996. Pp 460-470.
Tyra Lovato, 2022
Google Maps, 2022
“How place names impact the way we see landscape.” article by B. Toastie
The name of a place usually influences your perception of the land and the stories that happened there. Most names for places are influenced by males who served in the military, held high government power, and/or were colonizers. Some of the men did bad things in history, yet they are honored with a place name. Using their names gives power to them - the dead - and that keeps constantly reminding Indigenous people of the trauma of dispossession. Most people overlook this because the stories they were told about the men who hold place names and their interactions with Indigenous people are false and are a retelling of a plot to another story. These stories make Indigenous people seem like the antagonists, the ones who were abused and slaughtered when it was really the other way around. But people don’t learn about this difference, which could completely change one’s view of a landscape with a white man’s place name.
Toastie, B. “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” High Country News: Know the West, 1 May 2022, https://www.hcn.org/issues/54.5/people-places-how-place-names-impact-the-way-we-see-landscape. Accessed 27 August 2022.
Research Log 2
Tenny School, 2019
“Teen Anxiety and Depression: Causes, Symptoms, and More” by MedicalNewsToday
Anxiety and depression in teens aren’t medically different from adults but the present symptoms may be different in teens than in adults. These differences are most likely due to the various developmental and social challenges teens experience, like hormonal changes, brain and body development, and peer pressure. High-stress levels, especially, have been linked to anxiety and depression, and some extreme cases have ended in suicide. In fact, 13.3% of all teenagers in the U.S. that have depression also have anxiety disorders as well. A teen’s social, school, and home environment can have negative impacts on their mental health. Difficulties such as bullying, learning disabilities, abuse, and neglect can all contribute to stress, anxiety, and depression. Some symptoms of anxiety and depression in teens may be low energy, isolating themselves, drug and alcohol use, too much or too little sleep, and loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed.
Geng, Caitlin. “Teen Anxiety and Depression: Causes, Symptoms, and More.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 27 July 2021, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/teen-anxiety-and-depression#diagnosis
“Relationship between Academic Stress and Emotional Intelligence in High School Students” study by Naman Jassal, Department of Applied Psychology
The data from this study identifies the factors that cause stress in high school students and how it affects their emotional intelligence. Academic stress is often caused by the anticipated frustration that is associated with academic failure. Emotional intelligence is the individual’s ability to understand and accept their own emotions as well as others around them. Most academic stress in high school students stems from environmental factors such as high educational expectations from parents, teachers, peers, and other family members; as well as self-pressure for academic achievement and the burden of classwork and homework. Competitiveness among students, and poor peer and mentor relationships may also be major contributing factors for some students. Academic stress relates to emotional intelligence through stress levels. If a student has low academic stress, they are more likely to have high emotional intelligence. Having a higher emotional intelligence helps the student comfortably and properly handle academic stress in school. In order to help lessen the amount of academic stress on students, environmental, behavioral, and physiological practices should be offered to high school students. Having reliable measures of academic stress response will help students learn cognitive, social, and emotional skills to help them handle academic stress more and perform better academically.
Jassal, Naman. “Relationship between Academic Stress and Emotional Intelligence in High ...” Openvenito, Openvenito, 29 Apr. 2021, https://openventio.org/relationship-between-academic-stress-and-emotional-intelligence-i
ThinkPsych, 2021
Global Animal, 2019
“How Dogs (Eventually) Became Our Best Friends” by Eons, PBS on YouTube
This documentary published by PBS explains the process of how scientists are researching the early domestication of dogs, which is still unknown at this time. Scientists first believed that dogs were domesticated twice, like cats. Genetic divergence evidence found in Europe and East Asia seemed to have happened after dogs were found in these places. This suggested the idea that dogs were domesticated twice in Europe and East Asia. However, a different study showed that modern wolves and dogs both have 70-80% European ancestry, and it also found an older date for genetic diversion. Further research showed that people with domesticated dogs moved west toward Europe. The domesticated dogs that were bought to Europe bred and eventually mostly replaced western dogs. The bond between dogs and humans goes back centuries. Most ancient dog remains were found buried similar to how humans were and some humans and dogs were even found buried together. In fact, the earliest known burial of a dog was found buried alongside two humans. New discoveries are found every day, changing the history of the domestication of dogs.
Eons, PBS. “How Dogs (Eventually) Became Our Best Friends.” YouTube, 31 Mar. 2020, https://youtu.be/nDt0HKSdRRw
Research Log 3
McAlester Public Schools/Facebook (2022)
“McAlester High School to Welcome New Therapy Dog after Recent Policy Revision.” by Savannah Sinclair
In an article called, “McAlester High School to Welcome New Therapy Dog after Recent Policy Revision,” the McAlester High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma will begin a dog therapy program on November 28th after a policy revision from the McAlester School Board stated that the school community will now include therapy dogs. Luna, a 6-year-old poodle, is the first certified therapy dog to be introduced to the campus. McAlester Public Schools (MPS) say the dogs are specially trained to provide comfort and support to staff and students at the high school. The dogs help people feel at ease, relieve anxiety, and remove social barriers. The dogs will especially help those with diverse backgrounds and circumstances. Luna is very excited to become an integral part of McAlester High School, and the MPS district is evaluating other schools to determine if they will participate in the dog therapy program.
Savannah Sinclair, KTUL Staff. “McAlester High School to Welcome New Therapy Dog after Recent Policy Revision.” KOKH, KOKH, 19 Nov. 2022, https://okcfox.com/newsletter-daily/mcalester-high-school-to-welcome-new-therapy-dog-after-recent-policy-revision
“Park Rapids Students Chill with Therapy Dogs during Finals Week.” by Robin Fish
According to another article from Park Rapids Enterprise, the Park Rapids Area High School (PRAHS) welcomed 3 therapy dogs from the Beltrami County Therapy Dogs (BCTD) to campus during lunchtime on Monday, November 21st. Vicki Shroeder, an English teacher at PRAHS, says the visit was to help students decompress during final exams. Tracy Parthun, a trainer with BCTD, brought her personal dog, Skye. Larry Kruft and Nancy Brutlag brought their dogs, Lady and Annie. Each dog is a certified therapy dog, visiting several facilities in need of a dog therapy program. Parthun calls this particular event “destress with pets”. According to Shelli Walsh, Coordinator of Educational Services, this is the first time therapy dogs have been brought to the school for students. Walsh was a little skeptical about the event being held too early into exams, but now happy and motivated students show otherwise.
Fish, Robin. “Park Rapids Students Chill with Therapy Dogs during Finals Week.” Park Rapids Enterprise, Park Rapids Enterprise, 22 Nov. 2022, https://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/news/local/park-rapids-students-chill-with-therapy-dogs-during-finals-week
Robin Fish/Park Rapids Enterprise (2022)
“High Schoolers Talk about Anxiety and Stress.” by Switch Youth on YouTube
In the video, “High Schoolers Talk about Anxiety and Stress,” 5 high school students discuss, in a group discussion, anxiety and stress. When asked if anxiety is an epidemic, 3 agree and 1 disagree. They state that students claim to have depression and anxiety when their emotions run too high, but they haven’t been diagnosed. However, the pressure teens face justifies these feelings. Our generation has more pressure than those before us, despite the struggles being the same, due to social media and the expectations of going to college, especially when one doesn’t want to go or doesn’t know where to start. Anxiety can be diagnosed, and it is a lot harder to control for those who are chronically diagnosed. 4 of 5 teens shared their experiences of when they have or may have had an anxiety attack. And when asked who they would continue a discussion on anxiety with, they all admit to choosing their parents because of their parent’s personal experiences with anxiety.
Youth, Switch. “High Schoolers Talk about Anxiety and Stress.” YouTube, YouTube, 8 May 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIq-78ceWmc
Switch Youth, 2020
Action Plan 1 - Fur Therapists: Teen Stress & How Animals Can Help
"Fur Therapists" - First Action Plan Presentation
My first action plan took place during lunch on November 11, 2022, in the Humanities Commons room. I presented to a group of 19 student participants and explained the causes of teen stress and how therapy animals decrease it. I had originally planned to bring a group of therapy dogs to school to interact with students, but the information did not process in time, so I made a presentation. I also created a survey for the students to take at the end of the presentation to get their thoughts on what causes them stress and to see the similarities among SFIS high school students. 20 participants completed the survey and all of them agreed to experience some form of academic or social stress. One of the biggest causes of stress for most of the participants seemed to be due dates and the amount of classwork assigned.
'What is currently causing you the most stress in academics?'
"Work overload" - Jaydin Loretto
"Due dates, academic failure, and validation" - Anonymous
Action Plan 2 - Santa Fe Humane Society Pet Outreach visit
Therapy dog visit post-survey results:
SFIS Dog Therapy Visit During Finals Week
On December 15-16th and December 19-20th, I held a second action plan event where therapy dogs from the Santa Fe Humane Society Pet Outreach program visited the high school section of the SFIS campus during lunch. Final exam preparations were taking place on the 15th and 16th, and final exams took place on the 19th and 20th. During the visits, 5 therapy dogs - Greta, Elsie, Scout, Kobe, and Maggie - interacted with the high school students in the high school plaza. The visits were planned specifically for these specific days to help students as they prepare for and complete their final exams. A post-event survey was sent to the high school and 53 responses were recorded. 73.6% of the respondees said they felt happy after the visits. This therapy visit was a success and the students that participated benefitted well from it.
'How did you feel after interacting with the therapy dogs?'
"I feel the dogs really made me improve and get my emotions higher than they were when the dogs weren't there. The dogs made me feel happy and welcome" - Pearletta Calvert
"I felt a lot calmer and more at ease. During my exams, I felt more focused and present." - Anonymous
Action Plan 3 - Catopia Cat Cafe student visit
SFIS Students Visit the Catopia Cat Cafe in Albuquerque
On March 2, 2023, I took 13 student participants to the Catopia Cat Cafe
'How did you feel after interacting with the therapy dogs?'
"I feel the dogs really made me improve and get my emotions higher than they were when the dogs weren't there. The dogs made me feel happy and welcome" - Pearletta Calvert
"I felt a lot calmer and more at ease. During my exams, I felt more focused and present." - Anonymous
Armstrong, Jeanette. “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community,” in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds), The Case Against the Global Economy. San Francisco, CA, Sierra Club Books, 1996. Pp 460-470.
Toastie, B. “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” High Country News: Know the West, 1 May 2022, https://www.hcn.org/issues/54.5/people-places-how-place-names-impact-the-way-we-see-landscape. Accessed 27 August 2022.
Savannah Sinclair, KTUL Staff. “McAlester High School to Welcome New Therapy Dog after Recent Policy Revision.” KOKH, KOKH, 19 Nov. 2022, https://okcfox.com/newsletter-daily/mcalester-high-school-to-welcome-new-therapy-dog-after-recent-policy-revision
Fish, Robin. “Park Rapids Students Chill with Therapy Dogs during Finals Week.” Park Rapids Enterprise, Park Rapids Enterprise, 22 Nov. 2022, https://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/news/local/park-rapids-students-chill-with-therapy-dogs-during-finals-week
Youth, Switch. “High Schoolers Talk about Anxiety and Stress.” YouTube, YouTube, 8 May 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIq-78ceWmc
Dabhia, G. (2022). Teen Depression on Rise: What Can You Do to Help? photograph.
Fish, R. (2022). Park Rapids students chill with therapy dogs during finals week. photograph.
Lovato, T. (2022)
Maps, Google. (2022)
Parmar, A. (2021). The Five Components of Emotional Intelligence. photograph.
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O'Hanlon, A. (2022). McAlester schools start therapy dog program. photograph
Tapia, K. (2022)
Tapia, K. (2022)
Tapia, K. (2022)
Tapia, K. (2022)
Wallace, I. (2013). The Evolution of the Dog. photograph.
Youth, S. (2020, May 8). High schoolers talk about anxiety and stress. YouTube. Retrieved November 22, 2022. photograph.