Hartselle Intermediate students bake, donate dog treats for local animal shelters
A sixth-grade student at Hartselle Intermediate School has turned a personal interest in preparing homemade treats for her dog Teddy into a small business, and now her fellow students are helping out.
Lucy Daigre named her business after her five-and-a-half-year-old Maltipoo, who she said barks a lot. Barks-a-Lot Bakery sells homemade dog treats for dogs of all kinds.
“I have peanut butter, chicken and popcorn dog treats,” she said. “I have really enjoyed sharing my gift with Hartselle Intermediate School students.”
In a recent effort, treats will go to local shelters so dogs all over the community can enjoy them.
“I think helping the community is really important because it is made of people. We as the people of our community should do something to contribute,” Lucy said.
“HIS focuses on not only standard–based education but character education. We implement both in all that we do and believe it is important to teach the whole student,” explained Brittany Wagoner, HIS teacher.
HIS became a National School of Character in 2020, meaning character initiative has been recognized by Character.org, a non-profit organization that validates character initiatives in schools and communities around the world.
This year, Wagoner said fifth-grade students at HIS developed a service-learning project that focused on collecting pet food, and a group of sixth–grade students focused on working with Daigre to make homemade dog treats – both of which were designed to help the community and local shelters.
“The idea for the service project was a classroom effort. We came up with the idea in April. At the time, the character trait for that month was service,” said fifth–grader Lindsey Albaugh. “We asked ourselves, “Why does everyone donate things at Christmas? We should donate something now.
“Then, we brainstormed ideas of things we could do to help the community and decided on the Animal Service Project.
“This project had a positive impact on me and my classmates,” Albaugh added. “It was a great experience. I realized that when you help your community, it’s a good feeling knowing you did a positive thing for the greater good. I think this project will encourage us to do more acts of service.”
“Serving our community and helping others is a part of who we are as a school, and our students take pride in helping others,” Wagoner added. “Students take on leadership roles in service projects each year and work hard at being successful in each and every one of their ideas.”
More than 300 containers of pet food were donated, plus nearly 1,000 dog treats.
The students delivered their homemade treats to local shelters May 21.
