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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: A fresh start ... Council Corner: City takes human needs seriously ... Gray wolf spotted by trail cam in Siskiyou County ... Our View: A fresh start ... Council Corner: City takes human needs seriously ... Gray wolf spotted by trail cam in Siskiyou County ... ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL Dog finds home with Inspire program Will work with young adults with disabilities Comment By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Jun. 3, 2015 at 2:00 AM By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Jun. 3, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Social News Sometimes, all a service dog needs to do is be there with lots of love — and that’s exactly what Hilton’s new job is at Ashland High School’s Inspire Program. A 2-year-old mix of Aussie and English Shepherd, Hilton was rescued from the pound in Klamath Falls, which tagged him as a stray. Dogs for the Deaf in Central Point tried to train him for service to the deaf, but, says trainer Jenny Nickelson, his thing was love. “His job is to provide a calming, loving presence, a sense of connection for people who may not have had that in their lives,” says Rebecca Bjornson, transition specialist for Inspire, a community-based transition program for adults 18 to 21 who have disabilities. The dog will help students of Inspire to learn life skills, including communication, social interactions and responsibility, by being a calming, motivating and patient influence in the classroom and on field trips, said LaDonna Seely of Dogs for the Deaf in a statement. A three-year program, Inspire was launched in 2010 by AHS and graduates seven to 10 people a year to jobs and apartments and other life skills and situations, said Bjornson. It operates in the building formerly occupied by Wilderness Charter School, next to the AHS stadium. “I love Hilton and am so excited for him to be in class. He’s calm and sweet,” said Victoria Peckerman, who works in the AHS cafeteria and just got in her first apartment. “He is awesome, really sweet,” said Allie Pinney, who is job-seaching for work with children. Student John Alrick notes, “He’s amazing how well he responds to commands, so smart and fun and beautiful.” Nickelson has trained him since October and demonstrates how well the dog responds to commands, such as sit, stay, come, leave it alone, get on your bed, go say hi — then she tosses him a kibble after each success. “He’s already made a difference here, with students who don’t talk much. They like to read to him,” said Bjornson, who lives with the dog near school. “It helps them be adult, by caring for others, which is an adult behavior. Changing his water is being responsible and that’s an everyday life skill.” Nickelson adds, “He’s got two sides to his personality. One is bubbly, friendly and personable and the other is calm, laid back and docile. He goes with the flow. This is a pretty good gig for him.” John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Jun. 3, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501