Announcing GDB’s 2015 Puppy Raising Scholarship Awards

Annually, GDB awards scholarships to puppy raisers in their senior year of high school who have outstanding scholastic achievement and volunteer experience within GDB and their communities. Congratulations to the following puppy raisers on their accomplishments!

The bios of the scholarship winners are included below. In the coming days and weeks, we’ll share the winning essays and creative projects from the scholarship winners here on the blog, so stay tuned!

Nancy Bloyer Memorial Fund Scholarships

Receiving a $1,000 Guide Dogs for the Blind Puppy Raising Youth Scholarship, a $500 award in the Outstanding Essay category, and a $500 award in the Outstanding Creative category is Laura Marchi of Roseburg, Oregon who has been raising puppies for Guide Dogs for Blind since she moved to Oregon four years ago. She has trained and owned dogs her whole life, and GDB was a natural next step to give back to the community. She has raised two GDB puppies, Ken and Caribou, both black Labrador Retrievers. Both were career changes, Ken works in a home for troubled teens and Caribou stayed with a family in her club. She has helped co-raise most of the other puppies in her club. One Golden Retriever whom she helped raise, Kristoff, who was career changed, is now her 4H dog and they will compete together this year at the Douglas County Fair in agility, rally, obedience, and showmanship. She also owns a German Shepherd, Cleopatra, whom she loves dearly and shows in AKC events. She plans to continue raising Guide Dog Puppies through college, and will be attending Oregon State University for engineering this fall.


$1,000 GDB Puppy Raising Youth Scholarships

Jaclyn Bigley from Fullerton, California has been raising guide dog puppies for eight years. She is currently raising her sixth puppy, Anna. Jaclyn first got involved with GDB because she wanted to be able to help others with what she loves most, dogs. GDB has impacted her life in way she could have never imagined and she is very grateful for the opportunities it has brought her. In addition to puppy raising, Jaclyn swims, is the co-chairman of the Knights of Columbus Christmas Drive at her church, is involved in student government. Jaclyn will be attending the University of San Diego.

Gina Phillipsen of Shingle Springs, California has been involved in raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind since 2001, and as a primary raiser since 2010. Gina’s two older sisters raised 5 guide dogs between them. Gina has raised 4 puppies: Carnival who became a breeder; 2 career change puppies; and Nepal (one of Carnival’s first litter). Nepal just returned to GDB for formal training. During her 5 years as Teen Leader of the El Dorado County 4H Guide Dog Project, Gina worked diligently to promote the GDB program by securing donations and recruiting volunteers. Gina’s puppies-in-training have been present in all of her high school classes and she has taken them to classrooms at nearby pre-schools, elementary and middle schools for promotional talks and presentations. In addition to GDB puppy raising activities, Gina has earned two varsity letters in Trap Shooting, competes in local, state and national mathematics competitions and served as 4H All Star Ambassador for El Dorado County for 3 years. Gina will attend the University of Nevada, Reno this fall to major in engineering.

Hailey Elias of Auburn, California has raised seven puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind: one breeder (Darice), three working guides (Vivaldi, Yolo, and Porter), and two career changes, one became a service dog for a US Veteran (Skyla), and the other is her beloved pet (Atlanta). Her current puppy is a female yellow lab named Vashti. Hailey’s passion is helping others, and she loves seeing the impact her guide dog puppies make on not only the lives of the visually impaired, but her community as well. Hailey also volunteers in the Special Needs ministry at her church, and enjoys helping children with disabilities. She finds her background with Guide Dogs for the Blind helps her have a strong connection and empathy with the children she works with. Hailey graduated a year early from high school as valedictorian. She will be attending California State University Sacramento in the fall, and she can’t wait to continue raising guide dog puppies in college.


$1,000 Harwell Family Scholarship provided by Greg and Kathy Harwell

Kylie Peterson of Roseville, California has been actively involved with Guide Dogs for 5 years.  She currently is spoiling a career change, Geoffrey, which got her involved with Guide Dogs in the first place. In that time she has also raised 3 puppies: Alamo (therapy dog for marital counseling); Pecan (spoiled house pet); and Gamma her current puppy in training.  While finishing her senior year of high school, Kylie not only lead several meetings for her puppy raising club but also was a leader in her church youth group. She will be attending Sierra College in the fall to pursue a career in Canine Physical Therapy.


$1,000 Jenkins Scholarship provided by Steve and Kathie Jenkins

Christina Marelli of Rancho Palos Verdes, California is currently raising her fourth GDB puppy, Blair. She has been the President of South Bay Puppy Raisers, her local puppy raising club, for the last two years. Christina also completed her Girl Scout Gold Award Project entitled "Anyone Can Be A Puppy Raiser," where she dedicated over 90 hours to develop a video for GDB about the process of being a puppy raiser and presented to 130 youths about the merits of becoming involved with GDB. Christina will be attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the fall, studying civil engineering and architecture.


Puppy Raising Youth Scholarships provided by Guide Dogs for the Blind

Receiving $1,000 GDB Puppy Raising Scholarship is Megan Irving of Fullerton California. Megan has raised 8 puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind as part of Puppies 2 Partners puppy raising club. Stardust, Harlow, Avalon and Margene are working guides, Dakota & Sherbert are career change pets, Figaro was career changed and is now Megan’s family’s pet, and Irene became a breeder and just had her first litter of 8 puppies! Among Megan’s many extracurricular activities, she is a scholar athlete having served as team captain for her school’s lacrosse team for three years as well as a two time MVP. She earned her Girl Scout Gold Award by petitioning the Orange County Board of Supervisors to change the wording on the service dog affidavit for waiving licensing fees for service dogs to include puppy raisers. She will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the Fall to study Mechanical Engineering.

Receiving a $500 GDB Puppy Raising Scholarship is Mikaela Haglund of Gresham, Oregon. Mikaela has raised puppies for GDB since 2006. In that time she has raised six puppies. Two puppies, Georgette and Tessie, became breeders. Three puppies, Gavina, Farrah and Cider, were all career change dogs. Cider has become a member of their family. The most recent puppy, Luau, graduated last June and became a working guide. Mikaela is currently involved with Guide Dogs as a puppy sitter. She has a passion for volunteering; she enjoys seeing the fulfillment she can bring to somebody and the difference she can make in their life. She has also volunteered with various local organizations through National Honor Society and Key Club. The past two summers she was a camp counselor at Camp Adams. Aside from volunteering, she played varsity tennis for two years. Mikaela will be attending Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA this fall. She plans to minor in Spanish and major in biochemistry to pursue a career in forensics.

Receiving a $500 GDB Puppy Raising Scholarship is Delphine Medeiros, of Seattle, Washington. Delphine has been raising puppies since her freshman year of high school. Corbett (retired guide), Lawton (retired guide), Belay (breeder), Ontario (career change), and Ben (puppy in training) have accompanied Delphine to school every day and become a part of the Vashon High School community. She has been the secretary for her puppy raising club, which is both ASB and 4H, leading into being the club's president for two years. Delphine has worked on ASB and helped manage the girls volleyball and boys basketball teams at her school during her senior year. In the fall she will attend Washington State University and hopes to continue her work with animals.

Receiving a $500 GDB Puppy Raising Scholarship for an Outstanding Essay is Sam Nelson from Bend, Oregon. Sam is currently raising his 7th puppy, Burke, who will be recalled by the end of this summer for formal training. Sam raised two working guides, Huey and Waylon. Sam participated in multiple clubs including Interact Club (a division of Rotary International), Speech, Jr. Quota, and Honor Society. Sam plays several sports including Cross Country running, Nordic Skiing, and Lacrosse. Sam will be attending the Honors Program at Georgia Tech in the fall, studying Materials Science Engineering to work with medical devices.

Receiving a $500 GDB Puppy Raising Scholarship for an Outstanding Essay is Ian Miller of Salt Lake City, Utah. Ian has been involved with Guide Dogs for the Blind for four years, and raised two puppies. His first, Muir, is currently a working guide in Hawthorne, California, while his second, Pasha, has been selected for breeding. Last year, Ian was elected as an officer for the FFA puppy raising club, and this year was elected as Club President. Outside of his work with GDB, Ian volunteers with the Utah Refugee Committee, working to help newly arrived refugees settle in to life in the US. He also recently completed a Service Year with Youthlinc, during which he finished 80 hours of local community service before traveling to Cambodia over the summer to teach English lessons, provide medical care and build a preschool in a rural village. In addition, Ian graduated with recognition from the National Honors Society of Utah and a scholarship from the Service Learning Department for his years of work through his local high school community. In his time with the Humane Society of Utah, he has fostered over 250 cats and kittens, all of which have now found permanent homes. Ian will attend Northeastern University this fall in the Honors Mechanical Engineering program on both a Dean’s and Presidential Scholarship.


Honorable Mentions (received $100 gift cards to Staples to assist with school supplies):
Monica Magdaleno
Allison Hance
Marina Mehta
Sarah Ferrell

Read More

GDB Puppy Raising Scholarship Essay Submission: What a Difference a Dog Makes

By: Maddie Hall (2014 GDB Puppy Raising Scholarship Recipient for Outstanding Essay)

When Anthony first started living in my house, he was clearly terrified. And who could blame him? As a 7 year-old child in yet another foster home, he not only had to assimilate into our family, but he also had to switch schools for the third time in a year. That would be overwhelming for anyone. Although Anthony’s a great kid and quickly became a lively part of the family, he struggled in school to keep up with the curriculum and make friends.

That began to change when one day my mom brought our then-current guide dog puppy, Blaine, with her to pick Anthony up from school. Anthony ran out of the classroom to say hello to Blaine, and within a couple of seconds, Anthony and Blaine were surrounded by a swarm of Anthony’s dog-loving classmates. All the other kids wanted to talk to Anthony, ask him questions about “his” dog, or tell him about their pet dog at home. One of the kids even wanted to spend the night at our house so they could spend more time talking about dogs.

Anthony loved the attention. For the first time, he had found his place in the classroom. Being “the kid whose dog picks him up from school” was a way for him to connect to his classmates in a way that he hadn’t been able to before. The impact that Blaine’s presence had on Anthony’s life was simple yet significant. Anthony felt more comfortable going to school and began to make new friends.

Blaine is now my pet dog and Anthony is back with his mom, but he still occasionally comes to visit. There continues to be a special bond between them. Blaine helped Anthony navigate through an awkward time and helped him become more confident.

Blaine taught me that sometimes all you have to do to help someone is to just be there for them. Blaine helped Anthony do better in school just by showing up. Raising guide dog puppies in general has taught me a lot about helping other people. When I started this adventure, I thought that being part of my local GDB puppy club would be a fun way to benefit others, but in reality, most of the benefit of my experience has been for me. Each of my dogs has impacted me and helped shape who I am. Eichler taught me how to be ready for anything, Blaine taught me how to be sensitive to others, and Nevada is currently teaching me patience.

Unfortunately, neither of my first two dogs made it as guide dogs and are now both pets. Eichler is living with a wonderful family, and Blaine is my pride and joy. Nevada is currently9 months old and is my last hope before college of raising a dog who becomes a guide. My goal when I started raising puppies was to have at least one of them become a guide. I knew the statistics and I knew that sometimes dogs have issues beyond my control, but that’s all I wanted. It was difficult for me to watch my first two dogs get so far and then be career changed, but I have high hopes for Nevada. I now think of my first two tries not as failures, but as evidence that sometimes what I think should happen - like having all my dogs become guides - isn’t what’s meant to be. Eichler and Blaine are living great lives as pets and I believe they are both very happy with that job.

In the fall, I will be attending the University of Oregon as a pre-business administration major. I am thinking about an emphasis in marketing, but I’m not quite sure about that yet. My dreams for the future just get more blurry from there. I don’t know what I want to do with my life except to be happy and do good. Wherever I end up though, I know that I want to keep supporting and raising guide dog puppies. My mom has even suggested that I try to get a job working for GDB when I graduate, and I think I would be very happy doing that. Guide Dogs for the Blind has had such a big impact on my life that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop giving back to the organization that has given me so much.

Read More

GDB Puppy Raising Scholarship Essay Submission: Valuable Life Lessons from a Puppy Named Alan

By: Caitlin Berge (2014 GDB Puppy Raising Scholarship Recipient for Outstanding Essay)

In my sophomore year of high school, I was bullied ruthlessly by a girl who used to be my best friend. This caused me to withdraw from my high school, and enroll in an online high school. This meant I was home alone - a lot. I became lonely, and decided to go to work with my mom every day. She is a preschool teacher at our church. At this time, I had completed my puppy sittings and attended training meeting and was ready to get my first guide dog puppy.

My puppy Alan arrived on March 5, 2011. His named seemed quite serious for a puppy as goofy as him. But I quickly grew to love him and he became my best friend. Alan quickly got used to my daily routine, which included going to my mom’s classroom. That year, my mom had an especially sensitive student by the name of Will. Will’s family was experiencing some changes, causing him to be quite emotional at times. Will grew close to me, but more so to Alan.

Alan provided him a sense of security. Will knew Alan was always going to love him, and that Alan would wag his tail every time someone hugged him. Alan became a member of our class. He was always included in class pictures, he would go on field trips, and even sit on the rug for story time.

Alan is a very special dog. Almost everyone would say that about their dog, but Alan truly is special. He is more human than dog. He understands what you say to him, he understood what was being asked of him. But more amazing than that, he knew what someone needed before they knew it themselves. He knew when bad news was coming. Before the news came, he would come sit beside you, resting his head on your shoulder or lap, looking at you with his ever attentive eyes. He would sit there and wait - you could tell him “okay,” releasing him to do what he wanted - but he would just sit. If you moved, he moved. Whether it was me, or Will, or a stranger, he would wait. He wanted nothing more than to be there so you didn’t feel alone. Alan is the best friend everyone wishes they had.

He not only taught us about kindness, but also about selflessness. When Alan was recalled, we were all devastated. Kids in the classroom cried. I cried. My friends cried. It was almost like a death for some, because he was just gone. We all wanted him back so desperately.

A few months later, we finally got good news: Alan had been partnered with Vicky Nolan from Ontario. Vicky is a former rower on Canada’s Paralympics team, which is very impressive. But even more special for us, she is also a teacher for children with special needs.

When Alan first went back to the GDB campus, I had my selfish thoughts: He was my dog; I raised him. Why should someone else get him? But then we met Vicky. Every bit of selfishness disappeared. Meeting a person who is a perfect match for your dog, and is even more grateful for that dog than you are, is absolutely incredible. Alan was made for Vicky. I am sure of that.

I was taught the importance of selflessness and was lucky enough to instill that in the minds of a class of 4 year-olds. They understood that helping others makes you happier than anything else. It’s better than Christmas morning. And even better than your favorite dessert. Seeing a smile that you put on someone’s face is better than anything in the world.

Through the end of the school year, we remembered Alan. We talked about the field trips that he came on, and the stories that we read to him, and when he played at the role of a pickle in the class play. It was decided that we would make a memory book of Alan for his new family, so with the help of the preschoolers, we made a book for Vicky - specifically for her own two kids. We added pictures from the time Alan was 8 weeks old to when he was recalled.

At such a young age, this was a perfect level of giving. A book is something you can physically hold and pass on, which seemed to help younger kids grasp concepts. They all understood that all our hard work that was put into the book was going to be enjoyed by someone new, someone they had never met.

Alan not only taught me so many valuable lessons, but he gave me the chance to pass those along to those much younger than me. Although they were younger, I do believe they are lessons that will stick with them throughout their lives.

Read More

GDB Puppy Raising Scholarship Essay: My Experience as a Guide Dog Puppy Raiser

By: Emily Mason (2014 GDB Puppy Raising Scholarship Recipient for Overall Achievement)

Raising guide dog puppies has a way of impacting people. Whether that person is me, my family, or whoever receives the puppy, there is no doubt in my mind that my puppies have impacted the lives of many.


I think those that are the most directly impacted by my puppies have been the people who have received them as guides. A wonderful man named Terry received my first puppy in training, Virgil. Terry live-in Oklahoma with his wife, three daughters, and two granddaughters. Terry is an amazing man, who I still keep in touch with today. Virgil impacted Terry because before Terry received Virgil, he had been living without a guide for months. When Terry arrived at home with Virgil, he and Virgil began adjusting to one another, becoming an unbeatable team, and creating a strong bond. Terry and Virgil have gone on a few backpacking trips and frequently go sailing.


My third puppy, Tommy, who I raised as a transfer puppy, has significantly impacted his handler, Brian. Before Tommy, Brian had never had a guide dog before and had relied on a cane and the help of others to travel. Brian’s life was significantly changed when he received Tommy, because he can now travel alone and be independent, with the thought in mind that Tommy is by his side, watching for any hazards.


Guide Dogs for the Blind has also significantly impacted my community. Virgil was the first guide dog puppy raised in my town, Oakdale, in a very long time, and most businesses were unsure about the program and having a dog in their facility. However, by introducing them to Virgil and explaining the program, Virgil was allowed access to all the businesses in town! Virgil helped pave the way for the ten puppies that have been raised in Oakdale since.


Another huge impact GDB had on my community was at my school. Virgil was also the first dog to attend Oakdale High School, and not long into my sophomore year, Virgil was ready to join me. My school and superintendent were unsure at first about having a dog on campus, but I was fortunate enough to have had a vice principal who had previously taught at a school that allowed puppies ingraining, so he helped me get the puppy raising project approved at my school. Having a puppy at school was a challenge at first, being that so many people were unaware of the etiquette toward a puppy in training. It was also a hard task adjusting to all of the students being around the puppy. But Virgil set the standard, and five more puppies have since followed in his paws.


Raising guide dog puppies has taught me many things, and over time, it has helped me grow. Raising guide dog puppies has taught me to be responsible. Since caring for a puppy is a lot like caring for a child, I have had a lot more responsibility than most of my friends. Raising puppies has helped me learn to put the care of others before myself - taking care of a puppy can be a full time job. Raising guide dog puppies has taught me the feeling of accomplishment through reaching goals, whether those goals are successfully teaching a puppy “down,” or having a puppy become a guide dog. GDB has taught me what it is like to accomplish a long-term goal. Raising guide dog puppies has helped me understand the gift of giving, because no matter how much I love each of my dogs, there’s no doubt in my mind that I want nothing more than to see them succeed. It was truly amazing feeling to stand on stage and hand Virgil’s leash over to Terry.


Lastly, raising guide dog puppies has majorly impacted my future career goals. Since I was a small child, my dream was to become a veterinarian. I was fortunate enough to be secreted for GDB’s summer internship program where I got to work in the vet clinic for two weeks. Working alongside the veterinarians and clinic staff was like a dream, it is a time in my life I will always cherish. I had such an amazing time working and learning from such experienced professionals. My internship helped confirm my goal - becoming a veterinarian is no longer the dream of a small child but a goal set by a young adult. Being alongside the veterinary team at GDB helped me know for sure that being a vet is what I want to do with my life.


Guide Dogs for the Blind has given me many life experiences and taught me many things. I have been able to watch my community and school grow as they became accepting to guide dog puppies. Through this wonderful experience I have been able to grow as a person and experience the amazing feeling of being able to give someone a gift like a guide dog. GDB is a wonderful organization, and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it.

Read More

Announcing GDB’s 2014 Puppy Raising Scholarship Awards

Annually, GDB awards scholarships to puppy raisers in their senior year of high school who have outstanding scholastic achievement and volunteer experience within GDB and their communities. For 2014, we were pleased to award $3,000 in scholarship funds. Congratulations to the following puppy raisers on their accomplishments!


$1,000 Scholarships for Overall Achievement:
Sophia Hamilton of Ukiah, Calif., currently raising her third puppy
Emily Mason of Oakdale, Calif., currently raising her fifth puppy


$500 Scholarship for Outstanding Essay and Outstanding Creative Project:
Maddie Hall of Castro Valley, Calif., currently raising her third puppy


$250 Scholarships for Outstanding Essays:
Caitlin Berge of Normandy Park, Wash., currently raising her third puppy
Skyler Howard of Vashon, Wash., currently raising her fourth puppy


The bios of the scholarship winners are included below. In the coming days and weeks, we’ll share the winning essays and creative projects from the scholarship winners here on the blog, so stay tuned!

Sophia Hamilton of Ukiah, Calif. has been raising puppies for Guide Dogs for Blind for five years. She has always been a dog lover, and has enjoyed the value and joy of serving others that being involved with GDB puppy raising has brought to her life. She has raised three GDB puppies: Almond (a working guide); Shimmer (a breeder who recently whelped her first litter of 10 puppies); and her current puppy, Fauna, who will be returning for formal training this fall. Sophia has also served as the teen leader of her puppy raising club, Mendocino Pathfinders, for the past two years. In addition to puppy raising, Sophia is also a dedicated student athlete. She is a three-year varsity water polo player and a two-year varsity swim and dive participant. She is a 2014 All American in swimming and diving and the recipient of the 2014 United States Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete Award. Sophia will be attending the University of California Davis in the fall.

Emily Mason of Oakdale, Calif. has raised five GDB puppies: three are working guides, one is in formal training, and her current pup, Cloud. Emily enjoys working with animals, and aspires to one day become a veterinarian. Emily is vice president of her puppy raising club's 4-H program. In addition to her puppy raising activities, Emily has also been the  assistant coach of a little league softball team. Emily will be attending Columbia College, in Sonora, Calif. in the fall.

Maddie Hall, of Castro Valley, Calif., has been raising GDB puppies since her sophomore year in high school. She is currently raising her third puppy, Nevada. Her previous puppies were Eichler and Blaine, both career change dogs and Maddie’s pride and joy). As a member of her local 4-H club, Maddie also raised and showed mini Lop rabbits for many years. Maddie will be attending the University of Oregon in the fall.

Caitlin Berge, of Normandy Park, Wash., has been involved in puppy raising since she was 14. She is currently raising her third puppy, Wesley. Her first puppy, Alan, is a working guide, and her second, Havarti, is currently in formal training. Besides volunteering with Guide Dogs for the Blind, Caitlin is also an active participant in her church's youth group, with which she has gone on mission trips for the past six years (this summer she went to Belize, her fourth mission trip to that country). Caitlin received her Associate of Arts degree while still attending high school; she will attend the University of Washington-Tacoma in the fall.

Skyler Howard of Vashon, Wash., has raised four guide dog puppies since she was a freshman: Tanny, Triumph, Berlin, and Whisper. Triumph and Berlin are both working guides. Skyler is a member of the National Honor Society and has volunteered in rural villages in Laos and Peru, as well as at a local veterinary clinic. She plans to attend Carroll College in Helena, Mont. this fall. 

Read More