At Hikari®, we’ve spent almost 140 years exploring the natural habitats of fish and studying their nutritional needs. With a dedication to help hobbyists to love their aquatic pets as much as their pets love them and deliver the highest quality when it comes to meeting their nutritional needs, we are invested in all things aquatic throughout the world.
In fact, one program we heavily support is Pets in the Classroom. This educational grant based program provides financial support for teachers across the United States and Canada to purchase and maintain pets in the classroom (including fish) with an aim to provide young students with an opportunity to interact with nature up close and personal, thus igniting a lifelong passion for years to come.
We love to witness tropical fish, cichlids, reptiles, amphibians, and marine life making their way into more than 40% of the classrooms that get a pet. By providing so many new ways for young people to interact and learn, we at Hikari Sales USA, Inc. feel this opportunity enables a wonderful way to shape generations to come and to help them be compassionate toward aquatic life.
Just a few ways that pets can enrich a classroom experience include:
- Teaching Responsibility
Learning how to properly care for another creature is a huge life lesson. From developing and executing an appropriate feeding and tank cleaning schedule to planning socialization time, pets in the classroom can develop the rewarding feeling these responsibilities bring about. - Nurturing Relationships
Another great benefit of having pets in a classroom is that kids can develop strong bonds with non-responsive animals such as fish or turtles. From reading aloud to just feeling less alone, spending time with non-humans is a great way to nurture relationship building and social interaction skills. - Educational Opportunity
One of our favorite reasons to have a pet in the classroom is that it can provide the teacher with tons of educational material. From health to habitat, natural behavior patterns to larger life lessons, pets make a great segue to topics worth exploring and Hikari® is proud to offer our support to such a fantastic cause.