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Trinity Drew

A heartening bunny project is taking place in Mrs. Macinkowicz’s room where Charlotte, a New Zealand albino and Chester–also known as Stew–have taken up residence. 

The 7 month-old bunnies are part of a living lab where students take on all aspects of taking care of the animals and also study the science of mating and reproduction. 

In addition to the feeding and cleaning of the animals, the students also have an impressive lab for growing the bunnies’ food “Alfalfa Timothy,” which is a metal grass that bunnies specifically eat. They grow the plant wrapped around a uv light and check in on it from time to time. When the Alfalfa Timothy is all grown out they can then proceed to feed the bunnies a good dinner. 

The kids are always delighted to come into the classroom and work with the bunnies. Natalie Bigelow says, “I feel so happy to have the bunnies around. I love the way they hop all around.” 

The purpose of the bunny project is to give the kids a chance to experience animal life inside the classroom and what it’s like to take care of them. 

This project has been funded by the Woodhaven Brownstown Education Foundation for special needs kids as a grant for students to study life. This has been the second year where this project has taken place where an animal of choice is stationed right in the classroom where the students take care and tend to them. This year’s choice was bunnies. In the spring they plan on studying quail, and in the past they have studied ducks.

All of the kids can agree that the bunnies are very soft and that they make them happy. Justin Sherwood says “It’s a great experience with the best parts and even with the challenges” 

For the kids being around the bunnies and taking care of them can be very therapeutic. Mrs. Macinkowicz says that “it can really have a calming effect on the students.” The kids could be having a bad day but could instantly be cheered up just at the sight of the bunnies they’ve all built connections with.”