Above: Back row, from left are Reba Carlisle, Reflections Team co-adviser, Morgan Allen, Sarah Graham, Selena Eaton, Ben St. Cyr, Lake Jones, McKensie Chancellor, Ashleigh Schubert and Ana-Claire Graham. Front Row, from left are Nichol Green, Reflections Team adviser, Sarah Dutton, Kaitlyn Benton. The dogs are Petunia and Pepper; the cat is Honda.

The Reflections Team at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Perkinston Campus participated in a service-learning project at the Stone County SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) animal shelter in Wiggins. The event, held on Feb. 6, is part of the community-service component students are required to participate in to be on the team.

Twelve students and Reflections sponsors Nichol Green and Reba Carlisle helped shelter staff clean dog and cat kennels, remove trash, and clean the shelter yard. They were also able to play with the animals, which is important because animals must be able to bond with people before they can be adopted.

“This was a wonderful experience for the team because they learned about compassion and helping animals that have been abandoned, neglected or abused,” said Green, who is also the Perkinston Campus Director of Admissions. “It was a lot of hard work, but I think the students would agree that it was worth it. It gives them the opportunity to do something worthwhile in the community and to feel good about it.”