Starting Monday, April 14th East Leyden will see a new face roaming the hallways. Leia, a service dog, will be accompanying senior Kasey Scotella throughout the school day from now until the end of the school year.

Leia is a Golden Retriever/Yellow Lab mix. She has gone through extensive training in order to prepare for her role, and she is here for the sole purpose of helping provide Scotella with increased independence by helping alert faculty and staff of any impending seizures from Scotella, who suffers from epilepsy.

Leia will go everywhere with Scotella, including assemblies, classrooms, and the lunchroom.

In a letter sent to every students home as well as through email, students were reminded that Leia is a service dog not a pet, and should not be treated as such. It is important to remember that students, staff or visitors should not try to pet her or call out her name as she is here to perform her job.

Leia will remain with Scotella until the end of this school year.

Leyden’s Entrepreneurship classes, as part of the 2013 Faculty Football game, held a fundraiser and raised $3,650 which was donated to help Scotella with the purchase of Leia.