FHS Community Problem Solvers are re-living their childhoods by returning to grade school. Only now, the students are the teachers as they inform 6th grade students about the care needed for pets. “I think the message goes across better when someone closer to their age talks to them,” said sophomore Michelle Schumacher. The project will be part of a state-wide competition in which CPS students from all over the country compete. First, students need to come up with an idea and brainstorm solutions. “We decided our animal shelter was a definite problem in our community,” said sophomore Genevieve Thomas. “I think that after we inform the kids they will bring the information home to their parents.” The group visited the Humane Society so they could get a close-up look at what people need to know before getting pets to control the numbers of animals being kept at one time. “When we were there they told us about a dog that had been brought in all beat up (and) hurt,” said sophomore Serenity Atkinson. “I hadn’t realized until then that this went on around here and I knew we had to try to help.” On March 27, five members of the group — senior Ed Dickman, junior Courtney Jacobson, and sophomores Serenity Atkinson, Byrd and Schumacher — went to a fourth grade class at Elrod School. Each student discussed a point, ranging from I.D. tags for pets to how long animals are kept in the shelter. Finally they brought in a dog which had been adopted from the Humane Society. “Teaching the kids is really hard,” said Byrd. “We have to find ways to keep it entertaining for the kids.” The students will be giving their presentation as often as possible throughout the year, and send in a written summery of what they have done along with photographs to the national contest. Students believe the project will yield impressive results. “People need to know about how to care for pets before they get them,” said Jacobson. “We thought the best way to do this was talking to kids, who would also go home and tell their parents.” |
