It sometimes takes misfortune to remind us of what is important. And often what is important is right in front of us.
And so it was with the passing of our friend Jack the Cat, who spent two decades in the OVS community, where he was loved by students, teachers, and visitors across both campuses. He belonged to the Floyds, but really he belonged to us all. Whether he was snuggled in his cozy box, in the Upper Campus Learning Center, or lounging in the cozy confines of the boy’s dorm at the Lower Campus, Jack the Cat meant something to us all, making our days better by his mere presence.
The same can be said about all of our campus animals. Whether we stop to realize it or not, they add value to our lives, and our lives are richer for it. With that in mind, we at On The Hill have checked in on our furry friends at the Upper Campus (click here to see a photo gallery of pets on campus) and have set out to tell their stories as a reminder of what is truly important in our small world.
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After years of resident students begging for furry companions, Weekend Coordinator and Dorm Parent Paloma Sandoval brought two kittens to the dorms last school year.
Although they were supposed to be called “Tater” and “Tot” as a tribute to their Spud family, all the students called them “Bean” and “Dip.”
As opposed to the other animals on campus, they are everyone’s pets. Some days, they even sleep with the dorm students at night.
“The kittens are so sweet and seeing them every day makes it easier to be away from home,” said senior Ava Williams.
The same can be said for Charlie Chaplin and Jerry, the two cats that belong to new math teacher Nicholas O’Brien.
Jerru, whose name can be translated to cumin, is Mr. O’Brien’s newer cat. Charlie, however, has stuck with his owner since 2013.
“Charlie and I grew up together,” Mr. O’Brien said. “He was with me when I transitioned from teenager to adult.”
Since the summer of 2023, English teacher Devyn Reynolds has had her own furry companion, Sierra, following at her heels.
Before Sierra, she had another dog named Freya for 14 years until her death in 2022. After waiting a year, she decided she was ready for another dog.
According to Ms. Reynolds, Sierra is a very different dog from Freya personality-wise. Freya had her “favorite people,” but Sierra gets along with everyone.
Whether she is at school or on a camping trip, Sierra always hops up and paws at anyone nearby in search of attention, and most people are glad to lavish her with pets.
“People get excited when she’s around because she’s a snuggle bug,” Ms. Reynolds said. “Sierra loves people and affection, which creates positive energy with students. She’s good at reducing stress.”
One dog that you can always count on seeing around campus is Daisy, who belongs to new math teacher Krystal Reyes. They are as inseparable now as when the pair first met, on a cold, Alaskan, January day.
“She followed me one day when I went to the store,” Ms. Reyes said. “When I came back out she was still there waiting and then she followed me all the way home.”
From then on, she and Daisy have been intertwined.
“She’s always happy to see people and get pets from everyone.” Ms. Reyes said. “She provides stress relief when students are having a bad day or missing their own pets.”
One person who benefits from Daisy’s presence is Ana Sofía Sámano Suarez, a junior who has three dogs of her own.
“Daisy reminds me of my pets, so seeing her helps whenever I feel homesick,” Sámano said.
Daisy has her quirks at home too. While Daisy is like most dogs in how she enjoys car rides, going to the beach, and chasing animals, one of her favorite ways to pass the time is to watch TV like a person.
“If an animal comes on the TV then she gets extra interested,” Ms. Reyes said.
The other resident dog living in the dorms is Kona Nighthawk Beetlejuice Fulton (yes, that is her full name).
“I think Kona brightens up the community with her unusual appearance,” said biology teacher Leland Fulton, Kona’s owner. “She looks like a coyote.”
Though she’s shyer than many of the OVS dogs, Kona is likely living a better life on campus than she ever had before.
“I adopted Kona in February of 2019,” Mr. Fulton said. “She was living with a small family who could no longer take care of her and I knew I could give her a good life.”
He also suspects that some of Kona’s shyness may be due to the mistreatment she experienced during her shelter days.
Learning Center and Language Assistance teacher Cindy Carver’s dog Greta Louise is a 4 year old Doberman. She is Mrs. Carver’s pride and joy,
“I’ve never had a dog that was my own and who had so much unconditional love for me,” Mrs. Carver said.
Mrs. Carver drove to Los Angeles during the Covid lockdown to meet her new puppy. As she grew up with cats, she was excited about the possibility of raising her first-ever purebred dog.
After her last two rescue dogs Hondo and Jetta passed away, she wanted to start with a puppy so she could have a well-trained dog that she could bring anywhere. Once Mrs. Carver started at OVS she was excited to be able to bring Gretta to school.
Greta has been on two school trips and plans to go on many more. During the Women in the Wilderness camping trip, sophomore Cherise Huetinck bonded with Gretta.
“It felt really safe having so many dogs on the trip. We had a lot of fun napping and playing with them,” Cherise said.
Another dog that always brings a smile to campus is Ms. Hersk’s dog, Noni.
Ms. Hersk got Noni during Covid lockdown in 2020, finding her at a shelter in Bakersfield. When she first arrived at her new home, she was very timid. At 5 years old, she has come a long way and absolutely loves all the students.
Noni has 10 different breeds but is primarily an American Staffiture Terrier. Noni grew up in the old art room at the bottom of the hill before the Thomas Fire.
“She loved to run around and hang out outside with the horses,” Ms. Hersk said.
Ms. Davis also rescued a dog. In the summer of 2017, she was heading to L.A. to adopt an older German shepherd so he could live out the rest of his life in a home, but when she got there and saw Freyda she fell in love and took them both home.
Freyda was about 2 when she was adopted and is most likely about 10 now. She had never been on a school camping trip but enjoys hiking and camping with Ms. Davis’ family.
Ms. Davis had grown up always having animals around. She loves how simple they are with their emotions and how reliable they are.
“You always know you can turn to your dog and will never be judged,” Ms. Davis said.
She believes having dogs on campus can improve students’ morale and mental health
“When I see a student that looks sad I always make sure to tell them they can come to see Freyda in the ceramics room and it almost always brings a smile to their face.” Ms. Davis said.
Overall the school animals light up the campus and bring little sprinkles of joy into our lives every day. They motivate people to get outside, play, and have fun. And they remind students and teachers alike of the special bond that can only exist between humans and their furry friends.
“Be the person your dog thinks you are” Mrs. Carver reminded.
On The Hill staff writers Danika Carver and Viviane Lee also contributed to this story