A Hedgehog for Mrs. Holley

A classroom pet was not something on my bucket list, in fact I felt that I had my hands rather full with 32 squirrely fourth graders keeping me on my toes. In fact, it was three of those fourth graders who were the masterminds behind my, soon to be, classroom hedgehog.

It started with a request to stay in for recess. "For a project." they said. "A great idea!" they pleaded. Who was I to say no. We had just finished discussing how ideas can be the seeds that grow into the agents of change in our world. "Any idea was worth pursuing!" I had encouraged them with passion. So it was, when I returned from lunch that I was greeted by the following sign.

Much to my surprise, I found I was the slightly begrudging benefactor of a fundraiser for a pet I knew relatively little about. As our class began to do some research, we realized (or should I say that I realized) the responsibility this little creature represents. I began to have feel a little nervous, but how could I deflated these students who were so adamantly pursuing a dream and had implanted this dream into the heart of everyone in my class.

I finally decided to give them a challenge. With the research we had done I estimated a little hedgehog would cost about $200 with an extra $100 for a cage and supplies. If my student raised $200 by Friday (Which I was sure was unattainable for students who only received a few dollars in allowance, right?) I would fund that last $100. I was pretty certain that would shut down the operation until I counted the funds the next day. With in mere days, the students were at the challenged number and it was my turn to hold up my end of the deal: find a hedgehog to buy, get all the needed supplies and convince my darling husband that we needed a pet.

By some miracle all those things happened! I was able to find a breeder about two hours away that had a hedgehog that was just old enough to sell. We set up a meeting and I rushed to grab a cage, wheel, bedding and hut for the little munchkin. My students busily began to pick out names and finally voted on Hedgewig Twinkie Holley. After a brief discussion, we decided it would be best for Hedgewig to get settled at my house since school was being let out in few days. She made a morning visit to our room to meet her benefactors and read a story and each student was able to hold and meet her before they graduated to fifth grade.

As I write this post, with Hedgewig nuzzled in my arm, and I go back to that day in early May when something I said inspired three special students to run with an idea. Their idea took root and against all odds changed my little world, the world of my future students, and the world of a prickly little hedgehog who has completely won my heart.