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Gloria G. Stoga

by Evan G. from Sycamore Jr. High School

America's greatest strength, and its greatest weakness, is our belief in second chances, our belief that we can always start over, that things can be made better.

In mythology and legend, a man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods. That is the dictionary definition of the word HERO. But what do we think of when someone says the word “hero?” A hero can technically be anyone, from someone who overcame a disease to someone who saved a child from death by pulling him out of a burning car. In my article you will read about a hero who saw an opportunity to give dogs, and prison inmates a second chance.


A few years back Gloria Gilbert Stoga felt the panting of opportunity at the back of her neck. She had previously ran a program called Puppies Behind Bars where prison inmates train Labrador retrievers to prepare them for further schooling as guide dogs for the blind or bomb-sniffing dogs for the police. Men and women break the dullness of time in jail by training a puppy. "Most are in for murder, for some of them this is the first time they've had the opportunity to have a responsibility and stick with it,” She says.


Ms. Stoga realized that the dogs needed to experience life beyond a prison cell. There are no screaming children in prison, no traffic, no store displays. "Just going home to a person's apartment is different," she explains. "Having rugs. Having sofas and chairs. Dishwashers, doorbells, and coffee grinders. Everyday noises that aren't heard in prison," She says. She started the Puppies Behind Bars “prison puppy shuttle”. Every Saturday morning, vans leave one or two correctional facilities (either Bedford Hills in Westchester or Edna Mahan in Clinton, N.J.) and drive to Midtown, where volunteers wait to entertain dogs on their vacation.


Gloria Gilbert Stoga is a hero within, because she has the courage to do what no one else wanted to do. She gave prisoners and dogs alike a second chance. I look up to Gloria Stoga because of what she did, she thought she could make a difference in this world, and she did.


Ms. Stoga plans to get started with the 3rd chapter of her program at the Mid-Orange Correctional Facility in Warwick, N.Y. later this year. This just goes to show you that everyone –no matter who they are- deserves a second chance.

Page created on 10/10/2004 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 10/10/2004 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

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