Destination Imagination, or DI, is an organization focusing on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics). Students learn valuable skills in creativity and leadership, as adult interference is never allowed. Each year offers new challenge opportunities. This year, one of Bob Jones’ sophomore teams has chosen to take on the service challenge, which focuses on addressing a need within the community. Emilee Lamps is a member of this team, and she had an integral part in organizing the project. She said that she was driven to choose the service challenge because of the role that service has played in her life. “I wanted to do [the service challenge] since I was ten; service has always been a big thing in my life. Being able to do a big project like this was really appealing to me and being able to give back to the community just seemed really nice.”

Lamps said the team is helping the shelter by “volunteering at the [Greater Huntsville Humane Society] on the first and last Saturdays of the month, reading to the animals and working in the shelter’s thrift store. Reading to animals actually calms them down because they can develop anxiety in the shelters. It helps socialize them. The dogs really enjoy being read to; the cats are put in a room and are allowed roam around. They just like to see new people and get attention. The shelter also has a thrift store that we are working in, all of the proceeds are donated to the animals. We have also made organic dog treats and we are making toys for the animals.” Jenny Shaver, another member of the team, said, “I like volunteering at the shelter because we can get close to the animals and make them feel loved, and we can be good company for the ones who haven’t been adopted yet, or the ones who have been in the shelter for a long time.”

The biggest and the most important part of the service challenge is the event that the team must organize. The DI team will be holding a pet adoption on February 17th. Only the dogs will be available because cats cannot be put up for adoption at these events. The adoption will be held outside of Lowe Mill on Feb. 17th, from noon to 2 p.m.