Ms. Brncich is an art teacher at Coal City Elementary School in Illinois. “I teach service-learning projects to my students because I care about them and want them to grow up to be the best person they can be,” she said. “Service-learning projects teach kindness, responsibility, caring, honesty, bravery, resourcefulness, and so many other necessary traits.” 

After using the I Am a Hero for Animals lesson to learn about animal shelters and empathy towards animals, Brncichs’ students created the service project Art Walk for the Animals. Just over 600 kindergarten through 3rd grade students participated in this project. “It was a great way to inspire my students! It really made them think about what they were doing and why it was important,” Brncich said. 

The students ran a pet supply drive and families donated over 100 pet supply items at each school to help the homeless pets. Before the Art Walk, students volunteered at the animal shelter by sweeping and mopping, washing pet bowls, folding pet blankets and giving the puppies lots of play time. Then, students created realistic Pet Portraits of the current animals in the shelter and colored them in using the colorful style of artist Steven Schuman. The Learning to Give mini-grant helped the students to purchase the art supplies necessary to complete the Pet Portraits.  

Families were invited to come to the Animal Shelter for the Art Walk, to see the students’ Pet Portraits on display, and meet the animals that inspired their work. The students were able to raise awareness about homeless animals in shelters.  

Students showed leadership by choosing the shelters they worked with, ran the pet supply drive, and advertised the Art Walk. After the project, students developed a new respect for animal shelters, homeless animals, and a responsibility to care for the animals in our community.  

“Animal shelters help homeless animals; some animals don't have a family to take care of them,” reflected Tristan, age 7. “I can help animals by telling people about animal shelters and all the great things they do to help animals. I want to go back and help the animals again.” 

Some of the students signed up to volunteer again at the animal shelter, and some of the student's families adopted homeless animals. Students were able to look beyond themselves to raise awareness for homeless animals and learned that they have a direct impact them.