Olson noted that, by volunteering, students can become empowered, self-confident and compassionate members of society, which she said, would benefit everyone.
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The Briggs students not only got to see some of the dogs show off what they had learned at SPARC (above) they also got to pet one of the shelter dogs.(Below)The kids loved visiting with the cats in the cat room. |
Briggs School students visit SPARC shelter
August 12, 2015
Santa Paula News
Students from the Briggs Elementary School summer program, which has a theme of “Briggs Gives Back,” spent a morning at the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center (SPARC) last week.
The students were there to help clean animal crates and create a new SPARC flyer, as well as learning about how to care for pets. In addition the kids are scheduled to participate in a beach cleanup day Thursday with the Surf Riders organization at the Ventura Pier. About 50 students are participating in the summer program, ranging in age from 6 to 14. The students created tie-dye shirts to wear to the events.
These events are being held as a part of a service-learning curriculum, that yields rewards for both students and the community. Rachel Olson, a 4th grade teacher said, “Children of all ages have an innate desire to help out, especially when it comes to animals and the environment. Schools can embed service-learning, or volunteer work in the curriculum and easily align reflection activities to state standards.”
She added that our society needs a shift in the way we view students in public education. “The youth in our community should be looked at as an asset instead of a burden,” she said. “Children are capable of much more than we give them credit for, and can become helpful, productive members of society even at a young age.”
