NEW BERN, N.C. (WNCT) – “Get a dog today, take it home and play,” are the words of one Roger Bell New Tech Academy student at their poetry slam on Thursday.

The students gathered at Creekside Park to practice community outreach and hopefully help some furry friends find a forever home.

“This is another poem: Domestic, Outdoorsy, Great, Silly,” said one student.

The school partnered with the Colonial Capital Humane Society to both promote animals at the shelter and teach students about the power in their words.

“We want our students to see that what we’re learning in class goes beyond our four walls and extends into our community and how they can impact others,” said Laura Wilson, a fourth-grade teacher at the school.

The fourth-grade students spent the past month researching different dogs and cats at the shelter, learning about their needs and writing poems about the animals to help them get adopted.

“They get to present it to us, and we’re going to use a lot of it as advertisement for our adoptable animals,” said Jenna Easton, a volunteer with the Colonial Capital Humane Society.

The students presented their poems to their peers, shelter volunteers and to animal protection services with the Craven County Sheriff’s Office.

“Thor has special needs. He is feral and unsocialized and scared. He is trying to learn how to trust humans,” said another student when they shared about the dog they researched.

Wilson said these poems gave students a chance to build confidence and make the community a better place.

“We want our community and Craven County and beyond to see there are some really incredible animals at our shelter,” said Wilson. “One of our student’s poems shared that this would save two lives because once you adopt an animal, it frees a space in that shelter for another one to come in. So, this is something that’s been very exciting to watch them learn and grow from.”

Roger Bell New Tech Academy school officials said they look forward to having this event next year.