Mary Ann Jones and her five-year-old Welsh corgi, Smarty Jones, arrive a few minutes ahead of schedule at Honey Brook Elementary Center (HBEC) in preparation of what promises to be a morning filled with happy kids. Through a new program at HBEC, conducted in conjunction with Therapy Dogs International’s (TDI) Tail Waggin’ Tutor Program, Mary Ann and Smarty (and other volunteers as well) are helping HBEC students with their reading skills by letting them read to a therapy dog.

Smarty and Mary Ann’s tutoring begins in a quiet room in the HBEC library with a young girl named Natasha (her true name has been changed in this article to protect her privacy), who soon has Smarty snuggling against her as she reads from the book “The Life Cycle of a Bean”.

Smarty sits quietly, watching Natasha, Mary Ann, and perking up at the occasional passerby who pokes a head in to peep at the popular pooch.

Smarty and Mary Ann’s tutoring begins in a quiet room in the HBEC library with a young girl named Natasha (her true name has been changed in this article to protect her privacy), who soon has Smarty snuggling against her as she reads from the book “The Life Cycle of a Bean”.

Smarty sits quietly, watching Natasha, Mary Ann, and perking up at the occasional passerby who pokes a head in to peep at the popular pooch.