Evergreen High School crowned two therapy dogs, Polenta and Norene, as its first-ever canine homecoming royalty for supporting students and staff.
The “puppy homecoming court” was created to recognize the dogs’ impact on the school community. Two students from each class were also crowned homecoming king and queen, and Evergreen defeated Standley Lake High School in their homecoming game.
How Polenta And Norene Joined Evergreen
Norene joined Evergreen High School in January, and Polenta arrived in August. Both are Canine Companions trained to provide emotional support in school settings. The school’s principal and lead counselor Amy Wells trained to become handlers after witnessing the impact therapy dogs had on students following the shooting a year prior.
“Their duty is to lie there and just be pet and hang out,” Wells said, according to CBS Colorado. “I stand in the front of the building every single morning with my principal, and we let the kids come up and pet them or just talk to them.”
The Dogs’ Daily Role In School Life
The dogs greet students each morning at the school entrance, providing a consistent, low-pressure way for students to process stress and anxiety. Wells noted that many students who had never spoken with her before started approaching her regularly after the dogs’ arrival, suggesting the animals opened a bridge for connection.
“Research says that cortisol levels will calm down a little bit with a dog,” Wells said. “I just notice, a lot of students that I’ve never actually talked to, and in my job here, they come up to me all the time now.”
Quinn McEvers, a senior, described the dogs’ effect: “You don’t need to talk about what’s going on in your life or how something is affecting you. You can just get the love from the dogs, and it really helps.” Jackson Thomas, another senior, said the dogs eased anxiety after the shooting.
“Just felt very vulnerable, you know. And being able to just see these dogs just made people want to pet them,” he said. “Just like kind of release their anxiety.”
Normalizing Healing In A Changed Community
The dogs’ presence signals to students and staff that the school is a place where emotional support is normal and welcomed. Wells described their role as foundational: “It just normalizes life in general.” McEvers added that the honor reflected the dogs’ broader importance: “They make a difference in our community, and I think that it’s really great that they’re getting honored for that because they are a lot bigger than just dogs. They’re really a part of our community.”
Wells emphasized that the program’s success stems from sustained support: “For us, after last year, when we would have all the dogs in the school, it felt really good to us as staff. And then, now being able to provide that for our students on a daily basis, it’s definitely impactful.”
The homecoming court crowning, while celebratory, served as formal recognition of what students and staff already understood: Polenta and Norene had become essential to the school’s recovery and daily culture.
Reporting from Cbsnews contributed to this story.
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