What are the PAWS Preteen Workshops?
The PAWS Preteen Workshops are dedicated to educating preteens ages 9-12 on how to improve the lives of animals at PAWS and in the community. Preteens will complete mission-driven work through community service projects while fostering their leadership skills and learning from guest speakers.
PAWS Preteen Workshop Objectives
- Investigate and develop solutions to issues facing companion animals and wildlife.
- Investigate the vast breadth of animal-related careers.
- Engage in service projects that are challenging, rewarding and educational.
- Promote a greater understanding and appreciation for the biodiversity of their community.
- Foster public speaking and leadership skills.
PAWS Preteen Workshops
The PAWS Preteen Workshops will occur once a week throughout the summer:
- In-person at PAWS in Lynnwood, WA from 11:00am-1:00pm Tuesdays and 2:00pm-4:00pm Thursdays from June 20th to August 24th, 2023
Workshops will be a combination of structured instruction time, guest speaker visits, group activities, and service-learning projects. Preteens can participate in one workshop, a few, or all of them!
Workshop Topics
Fill out the registration form located here and sign up for as many or as little topics that interest you. Each week will be a different topic but by attending all ten you will have a richer and more robust experience.
Week 1: Tuesday, June 20th or Thursday, June 22nd – Shelter Nuts and Bolts
Week 2: Tuesday, June 27th or Thursday, June 29th – So You Want a Pet?
Week 3: Thursday, July 6th or Friday, July 7th – Breaking News: Pet Issues
Week 4: Tuesday, July 11th or Thursday, July 13th – Pets Helping People and Vice Versa
Week 5: Tuesday, July 18th or Thursday, July 20th – Is that legal? Policies Protecting Pets
Week 6: Tuesday, July 25th or Thursday, July 27th – Wildlife Center Nuts and Bolts
Week 7: Tuesday, August 1st or Thursday, August 3rd – Who’s in Your Backyard?
Week 8: Tuesday, August 8th or Thursday, August 10th – Breaking News: Wildlife Issues
Week 9: Tuesday, August 15th or Thursday, August 17th – Workin’ for the Wildlife
Week 10: Tuesday, August 22nd or Thursday, August 24th – Is that legal? Policies Protecting Wildlife
In-Person Requirement
PAWS Preteen Workshops will be on-site at the PAWS Lynnwood campus. While preteens are on-site at PAWS they are expected to respect each other as well as PAWS Staff and Volunteers. Projects will include but not be limited to helping with groundwork, creating animal enrichment, supporting shelter operations and more.
The PAWS Preteen Workshops will be expected to follow the same policies as volunteers.
While on-site PAWS Preteen Workshop participants will be expected to wear a nametag provided at check-in for the duration of the workshop.
How to Attend
Fill out the registration form located here and sign up for as many or as little topics that interest you. Each week will be a different topic but by attending all ten you will have a richer and more robust experience.
Program Fee
The cost to participate in a PAWS Preteen Workshop is $20 for each two-hour workshop. This program fee helps cover the costs of running the PAWS Preteen Workshops, which allows PAWS to divert more of our resources to animals in need. We are committed to making our programs accessible to all interested youth and will have some scholarships available for those in need of financial assistance to cover the fee. To apply for a scholarship please fill out this form.
The cost to participate in all ten weeks of the PAWS Preteen Workshops is $175. Please email the Education Team for the discount code.
Community Service Hours
If your school requires community service hours, we will sign off the hours you spend in the PAWS Preteen Workshops.
Questions? Contact the PAWS Education Team at education@paws.org.