Pleasanton couple's dog a winning wiener

"In the seven years they have been together, Patrick Major has seen Sammy Davis transform from a playful pet to one of the fastest dachshund racers in the state. Even though he stands only about 6 inches tall, Sammy can pump his stubby little legs and leap through the air to catch Frisbees nearly as big as he is. And, this pooch was a doggie pinup in the International Disc Dog calendar three years running." Read More Here

 Programs

Chess Scores

Posted on March 14th, 2010

Hayward Youth Academy
Chess Club Member
Group 1

  • Brandon
  • Lesly
  • Johny
  • Shiva
  • Alfred
  • Eliseo
  • Joshua
  • Samantha
  • Stori
  • Payal
  • Liam
  • Esmeralda

Hayward Youth Academy
Chess Club Members
Group 2

  • Ray
  • Byron
  • Maria
  • D’Shawn
  • Hugo
  • Joshua
  • Jaime
  • Fernanda
  • Julio
  • Victor
  • Samantha
  • Keioni
  • Sonny
  • Enrique
  • Joquiil
  • Justin

Scrabble Scores

Posted on March 14th, 2010
  • Wendy’s World   45
  • Goof Balls            45
  • ChessMasters     50

Programs

Chess Club

Why Offer Chess in Schools? What are the Academic Benefits?

We have brought chess to the schools because we believe it directly contributes to academic performance. Chess makes kids smarter. It does so by teaching the following skills:

  • Focusing – Children are taught the benefits of observing carefully and concentrating. If they don’t watch what is happening, they can’t respond to it, no matter how smart they are.
  • Visualizing – Children are prompted to imagine a sequence of actions before
    it happens. We actually strengthen the ability to visualize by training
    them to shift the pieces in their mind, first one, then several moves ahead.
  • Thinking Ahead – Children are taught to think first, then act. We teach them to ask themselves “If I do this, what might happen then, and how can I respond?” Over time, chess helps develop patience and thoughtfulness.
  • Weighing Options – Children are taught that they don’t have to do the first thing that pops into their mind. They learn to identify alternatives and consider the pros and cons of various actions.
  • Analyzing Concretely – Children learn to evaluate the results of specific actions and sequences. Does this sequence help me or hurt me? Decisions are better when guided by logic, rather than impulse.
  • Thinking Abstractly – Children are taught to step back periodically from details and consider the bigger picture. They also learn to take patterns used in one context and apply them to different, but related situations.
  • Planning – Children are taught to develop longer range goals and take steps toward bringing them about. They are also taught of the need to reevaluate their plans as new developments change the situation.
  • Juggling Multiple Considerations Simultaneously-Children are encouraged not to become overly absorbed in any one consideration, but to try to weigh various factors all at once.
Animal Therapy

Having therapy dogs in the hospital helps normalize the setting for children who are away from home under scary and unpleasant circumstances. Often a dog, large or small, is the last thing a child expects to see in their room! You will often find that your dog poses for pictures during most of your visits, especially now that many of the patients have camera phones! You will find that even if they miss their pets at home, and although the therapy dog isn’t their dog, it is a furry loveable dog, and therefore a perfect diversion from the routine of their hospital stay. 

Visits with children can be just as beneficial for handlers and dogs, too! Many children are amazingly resilient, and just as we can help cheer them up, they can inspire us with their strength to face their challenges. Parents often report that when their child saw the Therapy Dog, it was the first time they smiled since they had been admitted to the hospital. It goes without saying that the dogs love all the attention they get from everyone.

Not all dogs are suitable for working with children. Children can be loud, rough, and not as understanding as adults. Some children will try to monopolize your time, or crowd the dog. Some laid back dogs thrive on the energy of children, and some busy dogs may get too busy. Just as all dogs are not suitable for a children’s hospital, not all handlers are the best match for the situation either. Some people have difficulty working with children who are injured, sick, or have special challenges. It is up to the handler to know his or her dog.

Children’s hospitals usually have strict admission processes for volunteers. There are often background checks, volunteer orientations, volunteer training, and health screenings a handler must pass before they are permitted to volunteer. The reason for this is that children cannot protect themselves, so the hospitals must make their best effort to do so. Those of us who want to help the children must be willing to jump through a few extra hoops in order to help protect them as well.

Sometimes, the staff and parents; get as much out of the visit, as the children do.

Other Services

See “Back to Basics” Youth Baseball Clinics