Guiding Eyes Graduations are open to the general public. If you are interested in attending an upcoming graduation, please let us know by submitting this brief Graduation RSVP Form.
Ceremonies are open to the public to share in the joy of this moment, when our students can look forward to new adventures ahead with their Guiding Eyes guide dog at their side. It is our hope that people attending graduation are inspired and motivated to continue to make a difference for our future students. Meet Our Graduates.
Graduation ceremonies are held every two weeks on the last Friday of class at 4 p.m. on our Yorktown Heights, NY campus. These intimate celebrations are recorded for guests unable to attend, or for those interested in sharing in the joy of a Guiding Eyes graduation at another time. Links to recordings of past graduations can be viewed below at any time.
During graduation ceremonies, a portion of the program is given to the students. This may include a graduate speaker, poetry or a musical performance representing the Guiding Eyes journey.
Graduations offer the unique opportunity for Guiding Eyes puppy raisers to meet their dogs’ new handlers. For these generous volunteers, graduation day honors the sacrifices and love spent getting one puppy to this one very important day. Quite often, graduates and raisers develop a friendship that can last a lifetime.
Recordings of recent graduations are provided below. We invite you to join us in honoring these new partnerships.
Graduation ceremonies, whether virtual or in-person, are regularly held to celebrate newly matched guide dog teams. These events provide an opportunity for puppy raisers to connect with the handler of the dog they raised, and for all volunteers, donors, staff, and supporters to share in the celebration of partnership and new independence.
Anyone interested is welcome to attend a graduation. Puppy Raisers especially are encouraged to attend a graduation, even if your dog is not one of the dogs graduating. Attending a ceremony while your pup is still young can fuel energy and enthusiasm for the challenges of puppy raising.
The ceremonies are held on Saturdays approximately once a month and start at 1:30 pm. Graduations take place in Yorktown Heights at the Training School campus.
No. In the best interest of the new guide dog and its partner, we ask that you please leave any dogs or other pets you may have at home.
Please speak directly to the graduate. There is no need to raise your voice. The graduate will let you know if they have an additional hearing disability. Do let the graduate know if you need to leave during the course of your conversation. Do not let the blind person become embarrassed by “talking to the air” after you have left. Visit Guide Dog Tips.
Although you will be very excited about seeing and visiting with your dog, there is now another person involved in the dog’s life. Graduation is an emotional time for both the raiser and the graduate.
Despite the gap of time since you and your pup have been together, the bond you share is strong. The graduate has had less time than you to develop a deep relationship with the dog; however, in the future they will work as the closest of partners. Interact with both the graduate and dog in ways that respect their relationship. Ask the graduate for permission to greet the dog, and wait for them to communicate to their dog that it is allowed to visit before speaking to or interacting with the dog. Normally, the graduate will remove the harness in preparation for the greeting. The graduate usually retains control of the leash but may hand the leash to you. Do not take control of the leash unless it is offered. If you do have control of the leash, do not leave the area of the graduate. Be respectful of their budding relationship, return the dog quickly, and discuss their future life together as a team.
Graduates are given the addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of all raisers involved with their dog. Quite often, graduates and raisers develop a friendship that can last a lifetime. However, this is at the discretion of the graduate − there is absolutely no requirement on the part of the graduate to communicate with the puppy raisers.
If the graduate who has the dog you raised does not maintain contact, you can send a letter or e-mail via your Region Manager that can be forwarded to the graduate.
Occasionally, graduates move and forget to update us with their new contact information. Usually, they reconnect at some point and then we can try to re-establish communication between you and the team.
It is important that you keep Guiding Eyes updated with any change in your phone number, address, and e-mail address so that we can contact you if the graduate indicates they have lost contact and wish to reunite. Update your Region Coordinator or send the changes to cdc@guidingeyes.org.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (C) (3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind Federal Identification Number (EIN) is 13-1854606.
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