Sweet treats lined tables in the courtyard, inviting students to support the Animal Rights Club’s first bake sale fundraiser of the year during lunch Tuesday, March 10. The club brought their passion for animal welfare to life by selling a variety of treats, with all proceeds going to Hope For Paws. ARC leaders Sasha Poole (’26) and Samaira Modgil (’29) coordinated the event.
Hope For Paws is a nonprofit animal rescue organization that saves abandoned, injured and homeless animals. The organization provides veterinary care, works with adoption centers and educates the public about the importance of animal welfare through compelling and heartfelt videos. The club works with different organizations each year. Last year, they collaborated with The Vanderpump Dogs Foundation.
Modgil joined the club when she was in sixth grade, and Poole joined when she was in seventh grade. Club members meet once every other week. Poole and Modgil began planning the bake sale in mid-January and announced it to the club in February.
“To prepare, we had to schedule a time to announce it to the whole school and put up our posters, so we had to design those,” Modgil said. “We also had to get people to bring items so we could sell them.”
According to Poole, organizing information and educating others can be a more passive form of community engagement. However, the fundraiser allowed students to actively participate in supporting animal rights. Poole said she was inspired to support Hope For Paws after seeing the organization’s rescue work online and their impact on animals that might not otherwise receive help.
“I really admire the work that they do and I see a lot of their videos and rescues online,” Poole said. “I have always wanted to support this organization, so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to do so.”
Beyond events like the bake sale, club meetings help students learn about issues such as animal testing, sports involving animals such as dogfighting and the treatment of animals in the food industry. Students also explore volunteer opportunities and discuss ways to support animal rights organizations.
“Our club’s mission is to educate people about animal welfare and advocate for animal rights as individuals and students,” Poole said. “Also, to spread the word that animals can be overlooked quite frequently, and that we can do a lot of good as students to help.”
Lucy Kaplan (’26) is a member of the Animal Rights Club. She joined in sixth grade with an interest in animal research. Inspired by Jane Goodall, a renowned researcher, ecologist and zoologist, Kaplan has shared presentations about Goodall’s work during club meetings.
“I was so passionate about animals and researching animals, and of course, Jane Goodall was a huge animal rights activist,” Kaplan said. “I was really passionate about learning and advocating for animal rights, because animals can’t really fight for themselves.”
Over the years, the club has grown and gained more members, which Poole said helps expand its educational impact on the school community.
Poole said this growth has allowed the club to bring together students with different perspectives and interests related to animal welfare. Kaplan said being part of ARC has given her the opportunity to connect with students across different grade levels and converse on topics that matter to them.
“I think what excites me the most is the chance to talk with people,” Kaplan said. “There are a lot of middle schoolers in the club, and it is really interesting because I remember being the middle schooler in the club and getting to watch them find meaning or purpose in animal rights.”
