Courtesy photos.
VENTURA — Ventura Charter School is proud to announce that Tenny, a male black Labrador retriever, has graduated from his program at Guide Dogs for the Blind as part of Class CA1041. Tenny has officially completed his training and is now a certified guide dog, embarking on a new chapter supporting greater independence for his handler. Tenny was fostered by Lisa Hildebrand, Executive Director of Ventura Charter School, who served as Tenny’s official puppy raiser for 12 months. During the 2024–2025 school year, Tenny spent every day on campus, becoming a beloved presence among students and staff. His calm demeanor and friendly nature made him a source of comfort throughout the school.
“He came to work with me every single day. The students adored him,” said Lisa. “But what surprised me most was how much the staff needed him. They would come to my office after a hard moment, ask for a few minutes with Tenny and leave feeling much better. He was a strong presence, a stress reliever, and a source of joy.”
The graduation ceremony took place in December at the Guide Dogs for the Blind California campus in San Rafael, where Tenny was formally introduced to his person, Sarah Diaz, who is blind. Sarah is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work at Texas State University and lives in Austin with her wife. Tenny will be her third guide dog.
“Thank you, Lisa, for raising such an amazing dog; a big part of that is you. Thank you to everyone who trained him. It’s magic,” said Sarah during the graduation. “There were so many surprises along the way—I didn’t think we would make it, but it’s here, we did it, Tenny.”
Ventura Charter School’s involvement with Guide Dogs for the Blind continues. Lisa is currently raising Hawthorne, a black Labrador Retriever puppy in training, who is already thriving on campus. Hawthorne can be seen around school wearing his bright green puppy-in-training vest, learning alongside students as he prepares for his own future role.
Guide Dogs for the Blind is dedicated to the belief that everyone deserves to live the life they want to live and to move through the world safely and confidently. The organization matches people who are blind or visually impaired in the United States and Canada with expertly trained guide dogs at no cost, providing ongoing support, including assistance with veterinary care. These life-changing partnerships are made possible entirely through donations and the commitment of thousands of volunteers.
Guide dogs are purpose-bred for this work and undergo an extensive, multi-phase training process that begins just days after birth. After early socialization, puppies are placed with volunteer puppy raisers at 8–10 weeks old, where they spend about a year maturing and learning foundational skills. They then return to Guide Dogs for the Blind for approximately 12 weeks of formal training before being carefully matched with a handler. The final phase includes two weeks of intensive team training, culminating in graduation.
Ventura Charter School – Starting as Open Classroom in the 1970’s, Ventura Charter School of Global Arts & Education launched in 2006 as a tuition-free public charter school within the Ventura County Office of Education. The school currently serves over 400 K-8th grade students on its campus located within the larger DATA middle school property. Ventura Charter School is an expeditionary learning school in partnership with EL Education. It is guided by 10 founding principles and its mission to, “engage every student in meaningful and supportive learning experiences to grow resilient, educated, and socially intelligent human beings.”