--- title: M Stories:  Scarlett's Puppy Love description: For Scarlett, seeing her Grade 4 PYP project come to life is a moment of great pride. image: https://www.mis-munich.de/hubfs/Blog%20Assets/M%20Stories/M%20Story%20Scarlett.png --- [![](https://www.mis-munich.de/hubfs/Logo%20Assets/MIS_Primary_RGB-digital.png)](https://www.mis-munich.de) ** ![](https://www.mis-munich.de/hubfs/Logo%20Assets/MIS_Primary_RGB-digital.png) [**](https://www.mis-munich.de) [![Munich International School Logo](https://www.mis-munich.de/hubfs/Logo%20Assets/MIS_Primary_RGB-digital.png)](https://www.mis-munich.de) x ** - - -   > [  > >   > >   > > > > > >   > >   > > View this post on Instagram > > > >   > >   > >   > >   > > > >   > >   > > > >   > >   > >   > > > > > >   > >   > > > > ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWnyIpXCBaq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading) > > [A post shared by Munich International School (@munichinternationalschool)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWnyIpXCBaq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)   At Munich International School, we often speak about "student agency" and "bold dreams," but few stories illustrate these concepts as tangibly as the journey of Scarlett, a current Grade 6 student whose Grade 4 project paved the way for our newest community member: Bonnie the therapy dog. For families new to the International Baccalaureate (IB), the PYP Exhibition is the culminating event of the Primary Years Programme. It serves as a significant milestone where students in their final year of the programme demonstrate their ability to direct their own learning pathway and take action on real-world issues. This "celebration of learning" requires students to identify a topic they are passionate about, conduct extensive research—including interviews and data collection—and present their findings to the entire school community and members of the school’s leadership team. It is an intense, student-led process designed to foster the skills and confidence needed to make a lasting difference. Scarlett, a "third culture kid" born in Singapore who joined MIS in third grade, has always had a deep affinity for animals. When the time came for Scarlett to select her research topic for her PYP Exhibition in Grade 4, she knew she wanted to explore something that could make a real difference on campus. Inspired by her own dog and stories from her teacher, Ms. Geraldine Thomas, about school dogs in other institutions, Scarlett began to ask: *"Why don't we have one at MIS? We have such a big school, so many facilities... why don't we have this?"*. After solidifying the idea, she interviewed teachers, studied how therapy dogs support learning, and eventually stood before Deputy Head of School Dr. Leigh Miller to formally propose the idea. While she hoped her proposal would be taken seriously, she admits to some initial skepticism: *"What I thought of it at first was like, okay, they'll hear it through, but then it'll just become like a thought... I'm surprised it happened this soon"*. The heart of Scarlett's proposal was about well-being and emotional safety. Her hope is that *"having a therapy dog helps students who are having trouble but don't want to talk about it with an adult or counsellor”. *She identified a specific need for students who might find traditional support systems intimidating. A dog provides a different kind of comfort – a somatic, non-verbal comfort that many students would appreciate and look forward to. For a student having "not the best day," the simple presence of a dog offers a unique form of regulation and comfort. As she noted after her own recent interactions with Bonnie, *"when I came to her, it really helped"*. Today, Bonnie—a 15-month-old Miniature Poodle—is officially in her Phase 1 transition at MIS. She is already fulfilling Scarlett’s dream of becoming a "normal" part of the community that students look forward to seeing in class or during recess. Bonnie is participating in a rigorous accredited therapy dog programme along with her handler, MYP Coordinator Angela Brassington, to ensure she can provide the best possible support for MIS students. For Scarlett, seeing her Grade 4 project come to life is a moment of great pride. Though Bonnie was "not even born" when the proposal was first made, she is now the living embodiment of what happens when a student is empowered to lead. When asked about her next bold dream, Scarlett is modest, offering to help integrate Bonnie into the community however she can. But for the rest of us at MIS, Scarlett has already proven that any MIS student with a bold dream can have a "paws-itive" legacy. **Welcome to the team, Bonnie—and thank you, Scarlett, for dreaming big!** **![IMG_8293-2](https://www.mis-munich.de/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Assets/M%20Stories/IMG_8293-2.jpg?width=543&height=724&name=IMG_8293-2.jpg)**   [Next Article ](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/scarletts-puppy-love#) ### [M Stories: Alika's Mid-Year Transfer](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/alikas-mid-year-transfer) Related Article ### Keep Reading [M Stories](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/tag/m-stories) ### [M Stories:  Evelina Gnezdilova MIS Poet Laureate Publishes TIME](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/evelina-gnezdilova) March 14 2024 [MIS Communications](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/author/mis-communications) [M Stories](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/tag/m-stories) ### [M Stories: Valentin Marschner Faces His History](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/valentin-marschner) March 14 2024 [MIS Communications](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/author/mis-communications) [M Stories](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/tag/m-stories) ### [M Stories: Annabelle Marquis, Youngest Musician in Junge Münchner Symphonike](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/annabelle-marquis) March 12 2024 [MIS Communications](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/author/mis-communications) [M Stories](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/tag/m-stories) ### [M Stories: Beyond All Headlines](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/beyond-all-headlines) May 16 2025 [MIS Communications](https://www.mis-munich.de/m-stories/author/mis-communications) NURTURE CHALLENGE INSPIRE ![munich international school logo](https://www.mis-munich.de/hubfs/Icons/MIS-logo-white-1.png) Site Crafted And Powered by[Kreaforma.de](https://kreaforma.de). 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