Wickliffe Students are Passionate about Animals
by Celeste Redman, AmeriCorps Fellow, Wickliffe Progressive School

We have recently completed a high quality service-learning project here at Wickliffe Progressive School that I am extremely proud of. This project began with our visiting author at school this year, Michael J. Rosen. Michael is passionate about animals, as well as giving back to the community. It was his love for animals that inspired three classroom teachers to take their kids to the Humane Society of Madison County. 

During this field trip, students in grades 1-4 learned about the needs of those animals without homes in Madison County. Upon returning to school, they worked on writing Animal Haikus with Michael J. Rosen, that were either about their animals at home, or the animals at the Humane Society. They were so moved by what they saw and their poems, that they decided they wanted to advocate for the needs of these animals and give back to the shelter. 

The grade 1-4 students worked together to advertise for the Humane Society of Madison County by creating posters and fliers to ask others at the school for donations such as leashes, treats, and cleaning supplies. They also presented their project at a Town Meeting in front of the entire school, to encourage other students to donate. After collecting for two weeks, we counted our donations and presented everything we had learned over the past two or three months at another Town Meeting. 

These students, particularly the 1st and 2nd graders, became extremely passionate about their cause and wanted not only to give back to the Humane Society, but to help the animals find homes. It is clear to me that these students will continue to advocate for the needs of animals, both here in Franklin County, Madison County and surrounding areas as well. I firmly believe that they will now have a deeply seeded passion for animals in need, and they now know they had a hand in helping with this issue.