MACON, Ga. — Apples are often a symbol of appreciation to your school teacher, but these days they're for a dog.
But not just any dog... Bayou is the therapy dog taking care of students and staff at VIP Academy.
"Speaking of that, that's why I brought this today," Seth Fournier, a sophomore at VIP Academy, said holding an apple he brought from the cafeteria.
Fournier's math teacher, Andrea Bivins, said many of her students bring her dog his favorite snacks, which are yogurt and apples.
"He loves apples," Fournier said as Bayou finished the apple he fed him: stems, seeds, core and all!
"He won't stop until the whole apple is gone!" Bivins added.
VIP Academy is the virtual school for Bibb County; students must apply for admission.
"I like it, it's very different for me," freshman Patience Rutledge said.
"I do like how we have the freedom of if we're not at school, we don't get in trouble for it," Fournier said.
He and Rutledge's classmates said they're assigned their work and complete it virtually, and they also have the ability to come in-person, if they choose to.
"When I'm at home, I don't do no work, so I fall behind," Rutledge said. "But, when I come into the building, it's easier for me to focus."
With a friend like Bayou, it's easier to stay on track, she explained.
"Anxiety for this age group today that they have to deal with is very different from when I was a child, a teenager," Bivins said. "The peer pressure, constant social media going on, and pressures from social media."
That's why, Bivins explained, she started bringing Bayou to school once he was certified as a therapy dog.
"If he can just make them relax and stop thinking about that for just a little while, then that's worth it to me," the math teacher said.
Bivins said she met Bayou when he was a puppy in 2018 when she was raising him for Southeastern Guide Dogs, a non-profit in Florida.
But Bayou ended up having health problems, Bivins said.
Ironically, the golden retriever had seperation anxiety; that made him have upset stomachs, and eventually he developed a cyst in his eye too.
Bivins said she was told that cyst would only grow, get larger and possibly make Bayou blind.
"That would not have been very good as a guide dog, so he had a career change and became my pet when I adopted him," Bivins said.
Bayou had another career change once he became certified as a therapy dog; since August, he's been working at VIP Academy.
"I usually don't even come up here if Bayou's not up here!" Rutledge giggled.
Bivins added: "It's true!"
Bayou's impact goes beyond the belly rubs and cuddles.
"I've had a student who's come in from a panic attack that he helped," Bivins said. "I had a student just this week who had a really emotional day and so i brought her in here, crying, and Bayou just stayed with her the *entire time* except for the moment he went to grab a toy to bring back to her."
For the apples of his eye, Bayou will do anything he can for the pupils.
Congratulations, VIP Academy on being our School of the Week!