Let Sarge Graduate

20/08/2022

Sarge and Reece are off to UNK.
Reeve continues to have medical health issues and continues to press on and desires to graduate in time from UNK and become an Animal Behavior Specialist with science/psychology degree. Reece will have another surgery the end of Aug on the other ankle. Reece has hyper flexibility of ligaments that can allow them to become too stretched out and need to be surgically repaired. Reece and Sarge are pressing on! Thank you to UNK for all the support you have given to Reece, Sarge and Onxy. Thank you to all who have supported and helped Reece, Sarge and Onxy. We greatly appreciate it! Reece continues to press on and I am so proud of him! Sarge does his job well and is a good boy.

14/05/2022

Congratulations!

14/05/2022

Celebrated graduation at our reception tonight! Sarge got his own special dog toys for the occasion. Future focused.. you can't keep a good man down! Overcoming and thriving while doing it!
(Reece wore the gown for a few pictures at reception, but KPS did not allow Sarge to walk (therefor Reece was not able to either) (just clarifying))

11/05/2022

Congratulations!!!!

11/05/2022

Tonight was KPS Senior Honors Night. Reece did not get to go as .. well he needs Sarge and you know the story.

So tonight I say Congratulations Reece on earning the Kearney Honor Bound Scholarship and all the hard work you did to earn it and to graduate from KHS.
You were on track to finish a year early but due to 4 surgeries, and 3 years of being in and out of PT therapy (more in then out), braces, crutches, wheelchairs n more we had to slow things down a bit and you finished at semester Senior year. To accomplish all the recovery and medical issues you did, to finish school at semester Senior year, and to build Equality Crafting, Cause for Paws businesses, and having a craft vendor/ etsy store and training a service dog with another in training... I am impressed! We look forward to Sarge and you on campus and at UNK next year.
Congratulations!! It was ruff but you did it!

06/05/2022

I think it is absolutely great they are doing this. Dogs can help people in ways people cannot. Therapy dog on school grounds with training. Awesome work.

I only wish they'd acknowledge Sarge as a service dog. Service dogs and therapy dogs are very different things and the ADA requirements are different for both. Therapy dogs have to have proven training and documentation of it. Servce dogs can be trained by the person with a disability and are not required proof of training documentation.
Next week is Park's Seniors walk to remembrance, which Reece would love to do but cannot because Sarge is banned off all KPS property by KPS. So sad...Sarge has never been on KPS property. Sarge never has had the chance to do his job he was trained for. Reece would just like the same rights as every other Senior and to teach about service dogs and mental health just like they did on therapy dogs and bring unity to the community. To advocate for those who may have medical needs similiar to Reece. To let others know it is okay to be different and you can be successful in different ways. Reece gets one chance at Senior year and it has been denied to him. Some say it is a choice, but ones diagnosis and history was not Reece's choice. Reece tried many ways "to just overcome and go do it on his own" but the only thing that worked was to go everywhere with his service dog. It's a medical need not a choice.

Why is one okay but the other is prohibited? One would think they they both would be allowed for a better place for all our children. Big programs are great but don't the lead into caring for the individual. Isn't that the point of theses programs anyways? To show care for individuals and to try to meet their needs right where they are at and that it's okay if you need something different? To introduce them to others and other ways to meet ones needs when they are struggling or need help? To lift up the amazing abilities of dogs in people's lives? To care for the individual person and their need?

Why they continue to ban Sarge is beyond my understanding. It seems all very inconsistent with very mixed messages to me.

Reece is a Park school alumni member graduating this year. Let Sarge Graduate.

06/05/2022

Thank you so much for all the people who have signed the petition! I am still in the working for trying to get my connective tissue disease diagnosed so I have started a go fund me https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-reece-get-diagnosed?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1 You all have been so helpful and I hope this continues to change KPS's hearts in minds where they have failed me I hope others will succeed.

30/04/2022

This is Reece several years back after a PTSD reaction after a day at KPS. Reece came home n crashed. We almost thought we were going to have to choose between Reece's mental health and safety - vs - school and his UNK scholarship. Sarge is working on deep pressure technique. Cody is also being trained to do service dog work as well; so don't let that throw you. The second picture is years later with Sarge at work with Reece daily.
Sarge, the service dog, makes all the difference.

30/04/2022

Working for a living.. everday!
Service dog at work.
Sarge is a very happy dog who does his job really well.
Love the smiles on both of them.

28/04/2022

Happy Birthday Reece!!

23/04/2022

We have heard back from KPS and they are not going to change their stance and cannot discuss it due to a case being open with Department of Education. They are holding their past stance. Sarge will not be allowed to graduate with Reece.
We are going to focus on Reece preparing for UNK and his future. We are going to save our mental and physical energy for other areas. Sarge is a service dog, not an ESA or therapy dog. Therapy dogs do require documentation. Service dogs can be trained by the person with a disability. A dog trained by the person with a disability having tasks in alignment to their disability is a service dog.
We thank all who have supported, shared, and spoke up for Reece and Sarge. We hope change can be made in the future for those who go behind Reece. It is truly encouraging to have so much support from.the community. Sarge and Reece thank you!

22/04/2022

I am so glad KPS and supporters are teaching children what rescue and stunt dogs can do. I am always in support of education about animals and bringing joy to children. We 100% are in support of this program and those who offered it to the children of KPS. This is a good thing. I am glad they now also have a service dog policy.
BUT... please explain to me why they can bring a program with rescue and trick dogs in the school to perform in front of thousands of children but then refuse to support Reece and allow Sarge the service dog. Reece biggest request was to attend his own graduation ceremony with Sarge as his service dog and they refused.
Sarge has been all around town and a well behaved dog doing his job. UNK has him as an approved service dog. Yet, KPS won't even give budge to UNK and allow Reece to just walk with him for graduation as its on the UNK campus. Reece is even an award winner of the Kearney Honor Bound scholarship thru KPS, going to UNK. (Which he worked for an earned.) KPS was willing to meet Reece at UNK to do KPS schoolwork to finish up classes but won't let Reece walk at UNK for graduation.
It is heart breaking as Reece's original injury occured at State marching band contest several years ago on KPS property. Reece dislocated his knee and more while marching in the contest which led to eventually having mpfl surgery with an allograft. Reece had to be carried off the field and taken away by ambulance. It started years worth of healing for Reece. They even changed the type of band shoes for the next year to help be safer on the field. Many Kearnites saw it and its on video.
When we talked to a certain person at KPS about Sarge the service dog in the beginning and him attending with Reece her biggest concern was not Reece... but what people of Kearney would say. They didn't even have a service dog policy at that time but thru Reece's and UNK's help.. they do now. Please explain how this makes any sense?

22/04/2022

I reached out to the Kearney Hub and NTV today. Please continue to share things from his page and the petition link. We have around 3 weeks to get the attention of KPS! Call the education board members and email them.

22/04/2022

The ADA clearly defines service animals and the information they use to define them is available to everyone online. Check this out can help eliminate the misinformation and lack of information that runs rampant in our country and our town! Check out the Petition!

21/04/2022

Service dogs are medical equipment. They are medically necessary for their person with a disability. Just as some disabilities are not always visual, you may not realize or see all the specific things a working Service dog is doing for their handler with a disability. Service dogs are working dogs do not ask to pet them while working. It distracts them from their job. Working dogs understand they are working, they need to focus on their handler to do their job.

21/04/2022

We call the first one jokingly "loaf mode" because he kinda looks like a loaf or bread. In reality, it's stay/place. He is trained to wait and watch. He is waiting and watching for when and what task Reece needs from him. Used a lot at doctor appointments or in certain public places. He always has his eyes and ears on Reece.

The second one is him patiently waiting in his spot at a restaurant for a task Reece may needs from him and staying out of the way for the business to do its function. He waits patiently and quietly. He is very well trained and his training took hours and hours and hours of work. He is a working service dog.

21/04/2022

Service dogs can work in different ways.

20/04/2022

The cite used in the common questions video can be viewed here as well: https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html #:~:text=In%20situations%20where%20it%20is,dog%20been%20trained%20to%20perform%3F

The ADA Home Page provides access to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for businesses and State and local governments, technical assistance materials, ADA Standards for Accessible Design, links to Federal agencies with ADA responsibilities and information, updates on new ADA requirem...

20/04/2022

I created a video going over and ADA common service animal cite you can also find this online but those visually impaired can listen here if neededhttps://youtu.be/nTboN7Z7Uqo

I just wanted to clarify some things for certain questions people have with service animals.

20/04/2022

I am so happy to see that the petition is now at 682 signatures! If anyone has any contacts in news, papers, or even just others who can help please pm me and pm them. I will be calling NTV I have already emailed the Kearney hub, Omaha herald, lincoln journal star, and the ntv press release email address. I can only do so much in a day but every person counts. Every person educating themselves and standing up for others makes our whole state a better place. If you have time call these people and tell them how this makes you feel show them you care about disabled people and their rights. Educate and advocate for yourself and others.

20/04/2022

https://youtu.be/nTboN7Z7Uqo

I just wanted to clarify some things for certain questions people have with service animals.

20/04/2022

ADA

19/04/2022

Service dogs can be any breed.

19/04/2022

4 major joint surgeries in less then two years.
Leg braces, canes, wheelchairs, crutches, ankle braces, cast.
Hours and hours and hours of physical therapy and doctor visits.
And finishing up high school.
Started up his own business while recovering.
Makes collars, leashes, dog toys, dog biscuits, cat toys and more.
Is a vendor at craft shows and has an etsy business that supports rescue dogs.
During this time discovered he also has Autism that went undiagnosed until about a year ago.
Is preparing for college and has a Kearney Honor Bound Scholarship to UNK.
Help Reece celebrate!
Please sign the petition.
The disability is verified and the service dog has many tasks.

18/04/2022

Educate Advocate for yourself and others. I am thankful for the support that has been shown.

Let Sarge Graduate

18/04/2022

Sarge doing his job at physical therapy today.
He has been there so much that they greet both Reece and Sarge in name with a warm welcome.

18/04/2022

Educate and Advocate for yourself and others!

18/04/2022

Thank you to all who are supporting Reece and Sarge. Thank you for speading awareness about service dogs, the rights of those with disabilities, and positive support of mental health and Austism. Your sharing and signing the petition makes a difference. Reece made the petition Friday night and despite exchange groups pulling it off their pages, it still has over 380 signatures in less then 48 hours.
Every effort makes a difference. Many times people with disabilities get shoved aside and silenced. Thank you for helping Reece's voice to be heard. It is important that every person feel valued and cared about.
Reece desired strongly to advocate for service dogs, Autism and mental health. To bring awareness to ADA facts about service dogs. To gain education on the differences between therapy dogs, service dogs, and esa dogs. For the cummunity to have education on how to properly approach a person with a service dog. They are working dogs there for medical need for the safety of their person. We desire for noone else to have to go thru what Reece did. Thank you for helping Reece and all those who need a service dog in the future.
Reece's request is simply to graduate with peers. They say Reece can attend graduation but Sarge is banned. Reece needs Sarge inorder to attend graduation as a medically necessary service dog. Please let Sarge graduate with Reece!

17/04/2022

https://www.change.org/letsargegraduate
My service dog Sarge has not been allowed onto Kearney Public School grounds or events. I have been working with them on this since February of last year and they have violated the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 over and over again with no regard to the law. I have worked with a non-profit that advocates for those who are disabled and Kearney high ignored and fought them at every turn, I have also sent videos, photos, and explanations of Sarge's tasks which are illegal to even ask for, under the ADA, I have also opened a case against them under The Department for Education which they have refused to relent to the Department's negotiations, I have emailed my local education board (no response), I also recently emailed my local senator and will be trying to contact my congressman and Senate representatives.

Let Sarge Graduate