Edison’s new club, Paw Patrol, affords students the chance to volunteer at animal shelters, help care for pets, and learn more about animal life. 

Unlike other new clubs that were introduced this year, Paw Patrol was created to help give students more hands-on experience with animals, while providing volunteering services with local shelters that are underfunded and overcrowded. In its first year here at Edison, the club gained participation, with nearly 300 students in its Google Classroom. 

“The main mission of the club is to spread awareness about animals, advocate for them, and help overcrowded and underfunded shelters in our community. It’s to also give students hands-on experience with animals while helping the community,” said Manha Ibnat, Paw Patrol’s founder and president. 

This club has attracted many animal lovers, helping create a new community of students who were once shy or hesitant to participate in school activities. By bringing together students with a shared passion for animals, Paw Patrol provides a supportive environment where members can make friends and take part in volunteer work. 

“I decided to join Paw Patrol for my love for animals. I have pets, and I’m in general, just a big animal lover,” said Iffat Ahmed, a club member. 

Though Paw Patrol has seen major success in its first year, they encountered challenges in the beginning of their club. Board members continue to persevere through these challenges to ensure that their members are able to have a fun and positive experience.  

¨At the beginning of the club, one challenge we faced was managing such a large turnout. With so many students attending, it was difficult to fit everyone into one classroom and keep everyone focused, which made meetings feel a bit hectic and overstimulating,” said Jannath Jahan, Vice President of Paw Patrol. 

Typically most Edison clubs average a membership of around 20-25 people. However, Paw Patrol saw a much larger turnout during its first two meetings. Due to the unexpectedly high number of students attending, the club initially faced challenges with classroom space and organization.

“We addressed the issue by securing a larger classroom, which has allowed everyone to stay together more comfortably. As we continue to grow, we are still planning future activities and meetings, and this change has helped create a calmer, more organized environment moving forward,” Jannath added. 

The club also encountered issues locating appropriate opportunities for student volunteering that aligned with the club’s goals.

“Challenges I faced were trying to organize the rules and roles among my team and also contacting shelters,” said Manha Ibnat. “I overcame this by communicating with my team and really asking for help. Making sure everyone is helping and doing their part towards the club helps build the community as it is a newly founded club. As everyone is cooperating, it makes things go smoother and easier.”

Behind the scenes, each meeting is carefully planned and executed in a way that is stress free for both the board and club members. Angelica Villalva, Paw Patrol’s event coordinator, spends a lot of time working with the board to help create meetings that are enjoyable and calm for everyone involved. 

¨My role as the event coordinator for Paw Patrol is to plan the activities that go on during the meetings, such as fun interactive games, making slideshows, and overall making the meetings a positive environment for the members,” said Angelica. “The president and I brainstorm ideas and topics that are meaningful yet relevant to discuss with the club members, we then converse with the rest of the board members and ask for any feedback or suggestions to make sure we’re all in agreement.”

Thanks to careful planning by the board, meetings run smoothly, giving students the chance to enjoy activities and the opportunity of future volunteer experiences. Members say the club has helped them build confidence, meet new friends, and contribute positively to the community.

Many students say these positive experiences are why they would recommend Paw Patrol to others.

“Yes I would recommend it because you get great volunteering experience. It’s a low stress positive environment and it can help make you more passionate, caring and calm. The board also has such a great vibe and they have great energy,” said Alexander Samaroo, a club member. 

While Paw Patrol had their challenges at the beginning of their club they have made a great outcome of bringing people together and working together as a school community. This club helped people come out of their shell and help plan future activities to keep students engaged. 

In the future, Paw Patrol hopes to spread awareness about animal shelters while giving students more opportunities to earn community service hours and enjoy fun club activities during the meetings. However, earning service hours is not required, as the board recognizes that some students may be unable to attend events due to transportation or personal reasons. 

 “Since it will be my last year, I want to make a meaningful difference by donating as much as possible to animal shelters and creating more hands-on experiences with animals,” said Manha.