Friday, June 30, 2017
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Mindy, a dog up for adoption at Angels for Animals, enjoyed all the attention she received when she and Julie Meier, Angels for Animals outreach manager, visited Hilltop Elementary School students in Marie Rupert’s third-grade class to accept a donation from the class on May 31.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Hilltop Elementary School students in Marie Rupert’s third-grade class became mini entrepreneurs as they created their own business and donated their profits to Angels for Animals. Julie Meier, Angels for Animals outreach manager, (far left) and Mindy, a dog up for adoption at Angels for Animals, (front, right) visited the school to accept the donation on May 31.
By ABBY SLANKER
Hilltop Elementary School students in Marie Rupert’s third-grade class became mini entrepreneurs as they created their own business. As part of an economics lesson, the students brainstormed ideas and decided to sell personalized supply boxes to their fellow Hilltoppers.
Using a Cricut machine, Rupert applied a white cardinal head and a red name on each supply box with transfer tape, with the students helping to pull off the tape to reveal the final product. Several parents also helped with the project.
The students sold 102 boxes and decided to donate the money raised to Angels for Animals.
“I originally thought we would make about $1 on each box, but then I found the boxes on sale, so that helped increase our profits. We sold 102 boxes and made a total of $380.80. I talked to the kids and we made a list on the board of different places that we could donate the money we made. Then each student had a chance to vote for the recipient of the money by putting a tally mark next to its name, and Angels for Animals had the most votes. It was totally the students’ decision,” Rupert said.
Julie Meier, outreach manager of Angels for Animals, visited the school to accept the donation and talk to the students about dog and cat safety for summer. As a special treat, Meier brought Mindy, a 2-year-old dog up for adoption, with her to visit the students.
“Thank you so much for this donation. We really appreciate it. What a great group of children you are. Your fundraising efforts on behalf of our dogs is such a wonderful and inspiring story,” Meier told the students.
Meier also asked the children to tell their pet stories and gave them some summer pet safety tips and handed out a booklet titled, “Let’s Be Safe Around Cats and Dogs.”
“Most of the tips are simple, like never pull a dog’s tail or ear. And it is really important to ask someone if you can pet their dog before you do. Don’t enter a yard where there is a dog you don’t know and never tease a dog that has been left in a car in a parking lot. Go inside and tell someone. And even better yet, never leave a dog in a car. Be sure to give your pets the proper care. They need fresh, cold water every day, especially in the summer,” Meier told the students.
Along with the donation of $380.80, the students presented Meier with drawings they had created.
“Thank you for these great drawings. I am going to hang them in the dog wing so everyone can see the wonderful thing you have done for Angels for Animals,” Meier said.
Rupert said the children learned in several ways with this endeavor.
“This gives our students an understanding of what a business looks like, and feels like in a tangible way to understand the curriculum. Additionally, the students learned the value in giving back with their donation,” Rupert said.