Walls Juniors Turn Love of Animals into New Zoology Club

Photo Credit: Nicole Winkle (‘27)

One might think the Canary Islands were named after the birds. But three Walls juniors revealed that the name actually comes from the abundance of dogs living on the island. The trio—Malcolm Laskowski (‘27), Ava Orfield-Shah (‘27), and Zoe Date (‘27)—are starting a zoology club this school year, where members can learn more fun facts like this. Zoology, the study of animals, is a broad topic. That raises the question: what does a typical meeting look like?

At Zoology Club, meetings will likely include learning about endangered species, animals in general, and ways to help protect them. Beyond academics, the leaders plan to go outside of Walls, with field trips to the zoo and even a movie outing to see Zootopia 2 when it’s released. In short, the club will balance serious discussions with lighter activities, keeping in mind that Walls students juggle many commitments. As Laskowski put it, “We’re a balance of fun and social, but also a serious topic.” He hopes members will both share their passions and have a good time.

The club grew out of Laskowski, Date, and Orfield-Shah’s shared love of animals. After figuring out leadership roles, securing a teacher sponsor, and submitting the application form, they faced their next challenge: recruiting members at the annual School Without Walls club fair.

Loud, crowded, and chaotic, the club fair is a chance for some students to discover new passions—and for others, just a way to score free candy. But for the zoology club founders, it was the best opportunity to draw in fellow animal lovers. Their recruitment strategy relied on “a lot of shouting,” said Date, along with more personalized pitches to explain why people should join. Even so, getting students to commit isn’t easy. “People already have a lot of commitments and a lot of clubs,” Date admitted. Despite those challenges, 34 students signed up.

For the three leaders, the club is a way to “pursue this passion in a new way,” said Orfield-Shah. And while they care about all animals, each has a favorite: Laskowski loves otters, Date loves highland cows, and Orfield-Shah swears “nothing beats a seahorse.”

Zoology Club meets Monday mornings in room 224.