Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Wednesday, January 05, 2011

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Fourth-graders from Russell Cave Elementary greeted several cats before touring the Lexington Humane Society's shelter.

A multifaceted project at Russell Cave Elementary put a furry face on homelessness as students made a heartfelt connection with stray animals and abandoned pets.

“The most important thing is to love and care for them,” said 10-year-old Spirit McGhee, summing up what they discovered along the way.

It all started with “A Dog’s Life: The autobiography of a stray,” which fourth-grade teacher Michelle Lee assigned to a dozen students in the school’s enrichment program.

“I’m hoping they truly understand the book from the perspective of the dog,” she said. “It’s a book that impacts the way they think about animals in general.”

Newly motivated, the kids invited someone from the Lexington Humane Society to visit Russell Cave, scripted public service announcements to share with schoolmates, and collected donations for the animal shelter.

“For some of them, it was a real eye-opener,” said technology teacher Pamela Hambrick, who helped with the PSAs. “Some of them have really taken this on as a cause.”

The project culminated with a Jan. 4 field trip to the shelter, where the kids met an iguana named Pickle, ambled among the kitty cages and heard about the rescue of a blind, old herding dog that nearly drowned in a pond.

Volunteer coordinator Whitney Wilgus noted the shelter does not euthanize any animals, saying, “They stay here as long as it takes (to be adopted). We have the space and the money to do it.”

The Russell Cave students did their part to help, bringing along a half-dozen garbage bags filled with cat food, dog treats, towels, blankets and other necessities. The collection box in the school foyer had filled quickly.

“It was overflowing,” said Cecile Tijou, who also wrote an article for the school newspaper promoting the campaign.

In addition to the supplies, the kids presented a $190 check to Wilgus, who said one dollar will feed one animal for one day.

Overall, Lee was pleased with the impact of the service-learning project, which heightened her students’ interest and gave them a chance to reflect on moral and ethical issues.

“Because I introduced the idea of writing a PSA, spearheading a donation drive and visiting the Lexington Humane Society prior to reading the book, it gave the kids a purpose for really understanding what they were reading,” she said.

That meant their predictions, questions and visualizations clocked in at a higher level.

“Many of them were able to make strong personal connections to the story,” Lee said, “and they have a true understanding of the difference they are making.”

Online extras:

Check out the students’ PSAs | Russell Cave’s home page

Find out how to adopt a pet or support the shelter | Lexington Humane Society

Did you know?

At age 14, kids can volunteer at the shelter -- walking dogs, grooming cats and doing other chores.