The Pinehurst 4th Grade ‘Dolphins’ are swimming high on the waves of Advocacy for Pets!
The 4th grade Dolphins recently completed six weekly lessons about pet responsibility presented by Moore County Citizen’s Pet Responsibility (PRC) volunteers.
At an Assembly on March 30th, the ‘school-pod’ of Dolphins celebrated everything they had learned about pet responsibility. The Assembly included all the 4th graders and their teachers; Ms. Canup, Robinette, Taylor and Oedker. Special guests were Dr. Tony Ioppolo, DVM, Laura Rogers, Veterinary Surgical Technician (Pinehurst Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic), Therapy Dog – Beanie Wall (owner Suzie Wall), Speuter (PRC’s ‘mascot’) and the PRC teachers.
During the ‘tides’ of the lessons, the students were asked to write Speuter stories. They cleverly wrote about being responsible for their pets. Not only did they write excellent stories, some also designed a graphic, wrote plays, a song and a poem about why it’s important to spay/neuter pets. Their participation was exceptional and all were presented with the Creative Writing Award certificate: GRAPHIC – Ace; PLAYS – Gianna & Olivia, Alessandra, Maddie, Emma & Alora, Griffith, Adalyn & Jordyn, Josie, Rosie & Wrenna and Riley; SONG – Kenzington & Claudia who sang their song for the Assembly; POEM Emerson who shared “The Choice of Love” during the Assembly.
Students who wrote excellent stories and who had pets that needed to be spayed/neutered received a free spay/neuter for their pets: Hunter, Emerson, Rein, Scarlett, Luca, Alessandra,
Chloe, Finley, Landon and Wyatt. They all received framed Speuter Certificates and a paw print medallion.
All students who wrote about pet responsibility received a notepad and pen, “Keep Being Creative!”
In addition to participating in writing Speuter stories, all 4th grade students decorated “Clinic Bags” for the Sandhills Spay Neuter Veterinary Clinic. The bags have messages and illustrations about pet responsibility. The Clinic Bags containing pain medications for pets are given to pet owners when they pick up their pets from the clinic. Star Artist Awards went to: Gianna, Cherish, Wyatt, Scarlett, Harlow, Claudia. Chloe, Evelyn, Ellie, Emerson, Kensington, and Jordan.
All who attended the Assembly were ‘flipping their fins’ as they welcomed Dr. Ioppolo (Pinehurst Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic) and Ms. Rogers. They learned about Dr. Ioppolo’s career as a veterinarian. Dr. Iopollo and Ms. Rogers showed how they routinely perform a dog exam with Beanie as their “patient”. All the students were fascinated with the demonstration.
At the end of the Assembly, the students made a pledge to be kind, responsible advocates for animals. They received a large poster to sign to remind them of their promise, They also received a goody bag with a special Pet Responsibility bookmark, pencil, eraser, Life Saver, Kit Kat, Hershey’s Kiss.
4th Grade Dolphins are ready to ‘click and whistle’ as they swim into Advocacy for pets!
