High school can be dull at times. Monotonous classes, constant work, sometimes classes need a little brightness to them. Luckily, two classes have some friends to brighten the students’ days. Robinson is home to four little critters from all walks of life that have hopped, crawled and napped into our students’ hearts
The most known and beloved class pet is Ms. Diana Marazzo’s Florida box turtle Soup. Found as a yearling by one of her friends, Soup spent her first 8 years of domesticated life at daycare before coming with Marazzo to Robinson.
“She was found at about a year old by one of my friends and brought to a daycare. She’s very used to people; she doesn’t hibernate or anything so she’s a great class pet,” Marazzo said.
Soup’s small size but big personality has captured the hearts of many students who have been in Marazzo’s class, being a feisty mischief-maker who’s always a hit with teenagers. Even outside of school, Soup shows her funny little personality with a peculiar taste in food and a pension for being a little naughty.
“She ran away from me for about 6 months. It was late 2021 and she somehow got out of my yard. I had all my neighbors looking out for her and about 6 months later one of my neighbors called me and said ‘I think I have your turtle’. She loves pizza as well, particularly school pizza,” Marazzo said.
On the other side of campus, Ms. Amanda Perez teaches Robinson’s vet class, and any good vet class needs animals to go with it. The vet classroom is home to three critters: two bunnies named Snowball and Pretty Girl Poe. They are accompanied by a guinea pig named Ivory.
“Each one has been into the program in need of a home. Ivory came last year, Poe came at the beginning of this year, we were going to take in more but we got interrupted by the hurricane, so Snowball came last night,” Perez said.
All three of the critters are the sweetest creatures on earth, nuzzling any student that stops by. They are only in their cages overnight, with their yard time being in the morning and enjoying cuddles from students all afternoon.
“They love to be held, they come to the gate and expect to be held,” Perez said.
Ivory is the least cuddly of the trio but is absolutely the hungriest.
“If she hears a plastic bag, she will go off, and the rabbits will follow,” Perez said. “They’re expecting to be fed, they’re very
hungry all the time.”
Beyond being the cuddliest pits of hunger ever, the vet trio has little unique quirks that set them apart. While Snowball is the newest addition, the previous owners gave strict instructions to not leave shoes on the ground near him. The girl bunny, Pretty Girl Poe, is a licker.
“If she loves you, she’ll bathe you because she thinks you’re dirty,” Perez said.
Out of the group, Ivory the guinea pig is the most vocal, especially about food. She will scream and scream, even if it’s a student’s chip bag or a trash bag, and use her guinea pig eyes to secure treats.
“Ivory will yell at you. I have to say they’re all getting a little plump because she is very vocal and she’ll holler until she gets fed,” Perez said.
Robinson’s class pets are often the highlight of the teachers’ and students’ days. They help teach the students how to car
e for animals while also encouraging them to show up and learn by rewarding them with cuddles. Next time you sto
p by Ms. Perez or Ms. Marazzo, make sure you say hi to our little friends.
