Ashley Attanucci
Web Manager
This new school year brought with it many new clubs, including one, PAWS, the very first of its kind at the school. PAWS, as its name might suggest, is all about pets. This club, Pets Are Worth Saving, revolves around saving abandoned dogs and cats and helping them find new homes.
What sets this club apart from others, though, is its particular way of strengthening their cause. Rather than starting its own mission anew, PAWS addresses the needs of animals through directly helping another organization called K9Kat2. By joining forces with K9Kat2, a non-profit organization that rescues cats and dogs from euthanasia, members of PAWS are able to more efficiently help these animals.
Founded by junior Monse Gonzales and sponsored by physics teacher Tara Scott, PAWS aims to donate money to help support K9Kat2. They volunteer for K9Kat2’s fundraisers on the weekends, collect and donate necessary goods from the animals like towels and food, and they also raise public awareness of animal neglect, adoption and spaying and neutering. So, accordingly, PAWS requires no club dues of any kind; simply, they ask for passion and compassion, traits that are visibly abundant at CHS as this new born club has accumulated a growing number of 25 actively dedicated members.
“It’s awesome to be surrounded by other people who also like to contribute to [animals’] well-being,” co-President junior Jordan Thompson said.
Scott reiterates that participation and awareness of the cause is most important to making a difference.
“I’m most excited about getting students involved,” Scott said. “It would be great if we could even get one family at the high school to foster or help with events.”
More than would most other club sponsors, Scott finds herself more personally attached to the club and was an ideal fit as sponsor of PAWS when Gonzales first came to her wanting to begin the club.
“I’ve always had a passion for animals,” Scott said. “I’ve been fostering pets since I was in 7th grade, and I’ve been working with K9Kat2 Rescue since they started, 6 years ago.”
In fact, the idea of bringing a club such as PAWS to CHS was something that had for a while been marinating in Scott’s, Gonzales’ and one co-president, junior Jordan Thompson’s, minds –Scott, who had been working with animals all her life, Thompson who was inspired by Scott’s work and Gonzales who recently got involved.
“I did community service this summer at a shelter and it inspired me to help rescue animals,” Gonzales said.
The club has an upcoming bake sale (treats for humans to enjoy and not for pets, Gonzales makes clear) to raise funds for K9Kat2 and many other events are in the planning. PAWS is always accepting new members who can attend any meeting in Scott’s room, B102.
