Junior Sarah Park pointing out relevant issues to the Animal Rights Awareness Association members. Photo Credit: STACEY PASTERNAK
BY STACEY PASTERNAK
The Animal Rights Awareness Association is a club new CCHS students may not know about, but one that some of the older CCHS attendees may remember. The club originated last year, and is currently being rekindled with the help of junior Sarah Park.
Park, the club’s co-president with Molly Baltzelle, was instrumental in bringing this club back to life.
“The club started last year with my friends and I wanted to keep it going this year because I think it’s important that people know about animal rights so that they can help do something or at least be more aware,” Park said.
Park had been planning on taking over the club and the plan finally came to fruition.
“I’ve had ideas ever since I was in the club last year,” Park said. “I talked to Molly during the beginning of this school year to ask her if she wanted to keep it going. She said yes, so we got together and did it.”
Park is very relieved that she got the group back on its feet again. Reviving a club is almost as difficult as starting one. Thankfully Park got a head start earlier in the year, to ensure that her vision would become a reality.
In any club, one teacher is needed to supervise the members and maintain order. For the Animal Rights Awareness Association, that sponsor is Ms. Mensinger. She was the sponsor for it a few years ago, and when Park asked her to do it once more, she happily obliged. Already, Mensinger has her own goals for the Animal Rights Awareness Association in mind.
“I would like us to work with the Humane Society to help fundraise and to bring in supplies for the homeless animals,” Mensinger said. “I’d like to see us work to get homes for them.”
Luckily for Mensinger, Park has some Humane Society ideas of her own.
“We want to do a project in May to collect pet supplies for the animals and their care,” Park said. “We will be collecting lunch boxes and treats for the animals, among other things.”
Until then, Park and the members of the newly regenerated group are becoming more aware of animal rights issues.
“I thought the first meeting was very interesting. I learned about what is happening in the Ringling Brothers Circus,” sophomore Gaby Soto said.
Park’s mission for the Animal Rights Awareness Association is to give students a safe place for voicing their opinions and to help people become more aware of what’s going on in the world around us regarding animal rights. If she continues on with her drive and dedication, this mission will surely become a reality.
“In all honesty, my number one goal is just to educate others on issues in animal rights so that they know,” Park said. “That’s all that matters to me. It doesn’t matter how many people come or how many people don’t come. If I at least showed one person that there was something going on that they didn’t know, and that they have the power to ultimately change it, that’s all that matters.”
