Six Back-to-School Tips for Budding Activists
Does your child dread going back to school? After months of playing with the dog or cat, swimming, and tabling at fairs and festivals, sitting in math class probably doesn’t sound like much fun. Perhaps you can help “ease the pain” by encouraging him or her to look at it as an opportunity to teach other kids about animal rights issues. That will make any blossoming activist eager to get back to class.
Here are six easy ways that students can help animals. Show them to your child or tween and urge him or her to come up with other ideas—after math class, of course!
1. Decorate your locker and folders with free animal rights stickers from PETA—that way you’re spreading the message every time you’re at school or in class. You can even order PETAKids stencils to design a T-shirt or backpack.
2. Homework isn’t all bad. If you have to write an essay or give an oral report, why not incorporate animal rights issues, such as animal testing, spaying and neutering, or vegetarianism, into the assignment? Your classmates—and your teacher—can learn a lot from you.
3. Set up a donation jar in class (with the teacher’s permission) and encourage other students to put their change from lunch in the jar. When it’s full, give the money to a local animal shelter with a nice note signed by all the students.
4. Ask your teacher if your class can do one of the activities in the Share the World humane education program.
5. If your school carnival or fair has contests that give away goldfish as prizes, get a group of caring students together and politely complain to the principal. Explain that a frightened, lonely goldfish is no prize, and suggest stuffed animals as prizes instead.
6. Say “No!” to mystery meat. For lunch, pack a sandwich made with vegetarian deli slices from Yves or Tofurky slices. Fake meats are sold in most grocery stores now. When friends ask what you have for lunch, tell them proudly.
For “extra credit,” ask the school lunch server to offer more vegetarian meals. Circulate a petition to show that other students want healthy, humane fare. PETA’s youth division, peta2, has a pack of resources to help you out. You may want to ask your mom or dad to help out too.
For more ideas, activities, success stories, quizzes, facts, and jokes, check out 50 Awesome Ways Kids Can Help Animals.
