The program
A journey from kindergarten to graduation.
Detroit Hearts & Hounds grows with students over 13 years: from classroom conversations about empathy, to weekly volunteer shifts, shelter leadership, and capstone projects.
- Grades K–3 · Classroom
Foundations of Compassion
Students learn that dogs are living things with feelings and needs, just like people. Through stories, puppets, and role-play, they practice safe interactions and begin to understand Detroit's stray dog community.
- Grades 4–5 · Classroom
Deepening Compassion
Students explore dog body language in detail, learn what shelters do and why dogs end up there, and write persuasive pieces about responsible dog ownership in Detroit.
- Grades 6–8 · School + Shelter
The Bridge
The program's most important transition. Students move from learning about dogs to working with them: supervised shelter visits, dog handling, enrichment activities, and career exploration.
- Grades 9–10 · Active volunteering
Active Volunteers
Students commit to weekly 2-hour shelter shifts all year. They build specialized skills in fearful-dog handling, adoption support, and enrichment, and develop a professional portfolio.
- Grades 11–12 · Leadership
Leaders & Changemakers
Seniors mentor younger students, lead community outreach, and complete a capstone project. They graduate with a Paws & People Completion Credential recognized by partner shelters and Detroit CTE pathways.
Looking ahead, we'd love to partner with a college and a shelter so high school students can work toward a vet-tech associate's degree before graduating. That partnership doesn't exist yet. It's a goal we're building toward, not a credential offered today.