Connect2Complete Miami Hamilton: Animal Adoption Foundation!!

Originally posted November 6, 2013. View here

On Monday November 4th the Reading/Writing ABLE class volunteered at the Animal Adoption Foundation in Hamilton. This was a wonderful civic engagement project for so many reasons!

When I met with the instructor before school started she loved the idea of having a C2C Advocate in the classroom but had a difficult time envisioning what kind of civic engagement (CE) project would in with the class content. This fall semester being our pilot semester I felt it was important that the C2CA's to be in a class regardless of the class's participation in a CE project. This would give the instructor an opportunity to slowly integrate the C2C program into their class and allow for more time to incorporate a project for the spring semester.

Then one day, a few weeks ago, the instructor found a way to include a CE project that was related to the class content. The students had read an article about pit bulls. She is an active volunteer at an animal shelter in the area. This is what gave her the brilliant idea to have her class volunteer at a shelter! She spoke to her C2C Advocate, who relayed the message to me.

I worked with the Service Learning and Volunteer Coordinator to identify an animal shelter in Hamilton that would be appropriate for the kind of project we needed. In less than 2 weeks I had confirmed plans with the Animal Adoption Foundation for the C2C class to volunteer the following week.

Many of the students that are in the class have expressed frustration, which is another reason why this project was just a positive experience. The CE project gave the students an opportunity to get out of the classroom, and engage in the community. I mean who doesn't want to play with dogs and cats instead of sitting in a classroom?

Almost all of the students that attend class regularly participated in the project! The students were excited to be there, had a blast walking dogs, and socializing with cats and kittens!

In my eyes, this is the best kind of CE project for a class. It not only brings the class together and ties back into the class content but it is something that the instructor is passionate about. The passion from the instructor and advocate are really what sell the CE projects to the students.

I cannot wait to do another CE project this coming semester! Here are some pictures! Prepare for super adorableness!