The fourth graders at Cameron Elementary School gathered in the Media Center for a very special event, celebrating their graduation from the Pet Responsibility Program. Assistant Principal, Brenda Cassady, joined in the celebration by reviewing the “I can” statements with the students, who were delighted to share all that they had learned. Together, they listened to the Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) mascot, Speuter, tell her story of finding her forever home and being spayed in order not to add to the unwanted litters in Moore County. This message was reinforced by Animal Services Deputy, Lieutenant McKenzie, who talked with the students about his role in protecting the pets in our county. The students, the guests and several parents enjoyed a lively presentation by Diane Ingold of the Pet Responsibility Committee. Diane volunteers at the Aloha! Zoo in Cameron which is a sanctuary and rescue for exotic pets. She shared a lot of photos with them and discussed the plight of exotic pets who are abandoned when people can no longer care for them. If people were responsible, the sanctuary would not exist.
After the reading of the Promise Poster, all of the students signed it to reinforce their promises to the pets who share our world. Speaking up for the pets who have no voice were those who entered stories in the Speuter Story Contest. The runners-up were presented certificates their efforts. Andrea, Brooklyn, Charlize, Kaitlynn, Kaitlyn, Kendall and Nevaeh were announced as the winners! Six dogs and one cat will be spayed or neutered as a result of their advocacy. They all received framed certificates from Speuter and had their photos taken by the official PRC photographer.
The slide show below includes photos from the assembly plus photos of the therapy dog teams who visited during lesson 3 of the program.
