First Graders at Highpoint Academy Treat a New Friend to Handmade Biscuits
“It made me feel good to help. ‘Jazzy’ had a hard life and lost her leg and maybe she was hurt. I think Jazzy is kind of happy now, but she just wants an owner.”—Connor R.
This smiling, tail-wagging girl can keep up with the best of them—even though she only has three legs! In fact, ‘Jazzy’ gives new meaning to the term ‘four-legged friend’. It’s clear to the first graders at High Point Academy that three legs are just as good as four. And what dog wouldn’t want nutritious homemade pumpkin biscuits? The children, under the supervision of teachers Mallin Alter, Genevieve Falchini, and Taylor Morgan, put together fragrant pumpkin dough. They then cut and baked dozens and dozens of biscuits for the canine residents of Hand in Paw.
Hand in Paw is a local organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption of abandoned, homeless, and abused dogs. Its founder and president, Piper Wood (Highpoint Academy class of ’94), partners with High Point each year to share the story of dogs in need as part of the school’s Community Engagement program. The K-6 curriculum encourages empathy and kindness towards others—human and otherwise, and this project is no exception.
Before the baking could begin, the first grade classes held a month-long Read-A-Thon to raise money for biscuit ingredients. There was a whopping $568 surplus after all the supplies were purchased, enabling students to directly donate cash to the organization along with biscuits. The teachers explained: “We spent a lot of time discussing how we could help our community. The students have a lot of love for animals, so this was the perfect organization to support. The students spent time writing reflections on how to be a good community member.”
Vivian W. described the whole process: “We were making biscuits to help the dogs. We put in pumpkin, apple sauce, flour, eggs, and water. We used bone cookie cutters on the dough.”
“We read books and each book was worth a dollar. Our parents paid us. I read six books, so I earned $6. It made me feel really happy. I think Jazzy is happy now too,” added Hayden M.
Reflecting on the day, Conner noted, “A lot of dogs have to go to the vet before they can go to the shelter. That costs money. We read books to get money for the biscuit supplies and for the dogs.”
And finally, Vivian, whose mother is a veterinarian, offered some special insight. She said, “I’ve had seven pets—but not altogether at the same time. I have a cat now named BBG that has four legs, but she keeps falling over anyway. It’s kind of getting better. I felt happy to meet Jazzy. It felt nice and made me feel good about doing something nice for others.”
