For these fourth grade kids helping shelter cats started with a desire to reach out in their community and make a difference.

Soft SkillsStudents at Cary Elementary School in Cary, North Carolina were asked by their teacher,  Laura Proven, to make a positive difference in their community,  and they found they had a passionate interest in animal shelters.

Students were horrified to find that some animal shelters in their area euthanize animals. Some wanted to send a letter to the shelters demanding that they close. Proven suggested they try the approach of rewarding the no-kill shelters with their support.

“I told them it might be a better idea to reward the good shelters instead of threatening the bad ones,” she said.

The students turned their passion into action for the cats at Cat Angels of Cary, a no-kill shelter.  They made blankets for the cats. Proven used the activity as part of a unit on measurement, bringing in squares of fleece which the students cut and knotted with fringe, to go on the bottom of the cage.

They also plan to sponsor a donation drive to collect supplies and food for the shelter.

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