On a recent Saturday, High Tech Elementary’s fifth-grade students showcased their creativity and compassion in an event that both warmed hearts and set tails wagging. The “Cause for Paws” pet adoption event at NTC Park enlightened young minds and helped find fur-ever homes for six out of eight cats. Students applied their design and build skills to create custom dog houses and cat condos, adding an extra layer of warmth to the successful event.

Design and Build Skills in Action

The highlight of the ‘Cause for Paws’ event was undoubtedly the personally designed and built dog houses and cat condos by the fifth-grade students. The students delved into the world of design and build concepts, channeling their creativity into constructing unique and comfortable homes for the pets up for adoption. They designed prototypes before tackling the full build. It wasn’t just about creating functional shelters; it was about instilling a sense of responsibility and care for the animals they were helping.

Awareness and Fundraising Campaign

The fifth-grade team of Jeff Govoni, Jenny Merrill, and Bailey Kleis has much to be proud of. The journey began with a multifaceted campaign initiated by the students. They were tasked with designing and building the pet houses and challenged to create an awareness and fundraising campaign. The students’ entrepreneurial spirit shone through as they raised funds through student-designed calendars and effective advertising. This combination of creativity and business acumen demonstrated a well-rounded educational experience for the young philanthropists.

Pennies for Pets: Heartbreak to Triumph

As part of the broader campaign, the students engaged in the “Pennies for Pets” initiative, a fundraising effort designed to support local animal shelters. The funds collected were used to provide essential supplies for the pets, ensuring their well-being even after the adoption event. The students and staff had a setback when a thief absconded with the donations they had diligently raised for the San Diego Humane Society. The fifth-grade students had successfully surpassed their initial goal of $1,000, ultimately raising over $2,000 for homeless and injured pets. Nearly half of these funds were in coins, requiring the students to spend hours rolling and counting them. When attempting to convert the coins to cash at a Mission Valley bank, a backpack, containing around $1,300 in cash donations, was stolen from a car with a smashed window. Despite this setback, teacher Jenny Merrill quickly launched a GoFundMe account to compensate for the stolen funds, rallying support and lifting the spirits of the affected students. Said Merrill online, “Thank you to everyone who has donated! You all have helped us exceed our donation goal for the Humane Society and my students are blown away. They were so upset when the money was taken and it was hard to get them invested in our project again. Now they are so excited to keep planning our pet adoption event. We will be using any  additional funds to not only increase our promised donation to the Humane Society, but also donate to other local shelters and to help support our “Cause for Paws Adoption Event” at NTC park.”

A Vibrant Event

Local animal shelters, including Animal Pad and Whiskers Without Borders, participated in the event, offering attendees the opportunity to adopt pets and learn about ways to volunteer or support their respective organizations.

The event went beyond the basics, featuring a caricature artist, informational booths by the fifth-grade students, guest speakers, and more. The infusion of creativity and information created an engaging atmosphere for attendees, highlighting the depth of learning and community involvement that the students had embraced.

HTe student River was one of the participants in the event, and she expressed her happiness at joining hands with Cause for Paws. River shared, “I learned that animals are not just creatures, they can be a big part of your family and life. They’re very special. …I enjoyed a lot of this, the building process. It was super-duper fun, and I learned a lot!”

Another student reflected on the experience, stating, “It’s always better to adopt a pet from a rescue shelter than buying from a breeder. Because this way, you’ll be saving two lives. One, you are saving an animal that’s homeless or sick, and two, you will help open up space in the shelter for a new animal.”

HTe teacher Jeff Govoni said, “We’re here today to show off the students’ dog houses and kitty condos that they built for Cause for Paws. If you adopt a pet, you can get a free kitty condo or dog house just for adopting. …Today has gone as perfectly as I could have expected. And ‘Shorty Rossi’ has offered to take any of the leftover dog houses to his adoption center in Mexico!”  

Conclusion

High Tech Elementary’s fifth graders set a stellar example of how education can go beyond textbooks and classrooms. The ‘Cause for Paws’ event not only found homes for deserving pets but also nurtured empathy, creativity, and a sense of responsibility among the students. As these young minds continue to grow, so does the impact of their efforts, promising a brighter and more compassionate future for our furry friends.