TISD students aim to raise funds for animal holding facility in Texarkana, Texas

TEXARKANA, Texas (KSLA) - Texarkana, Texas city leaders say their animal holding facility is in need of improvements, and a group of students from the Texarkana Texas Independent School District is pitching in to help with the repair work and other animal control issues.

A Synergy Summit was held Thursday for students with TISD’s Lighthouse Teams. There are eleven campuses in the school district, and each campus has their own team.

“It’s a group of students chosen for their leadership qualities. They actually apply for the position,” Lighthouse Team coordinator Brandy Davenport explained.

District leaders said the summit brought all Lighthouse students together to begin forming relationships between student leaders from all schools and grade levels. On Nov. 2, the students announced a citywide service project focusing on reducing the stray animal population in Texarkana. They are planning a supply drive to benefit local shelters, a fundraiser to help support the city’s expansion/remodeling of the animal holding facility and hosting a pet adoption day.

“Even if no one wanted to contribute to this, at least they know it’s not an underdog situation now,” Lighthouse student Angel Venable said.

“I think when you bring more awareness to a situation, then more people are willing to help,” Lighthouse student Lola Vanderburg said.

As part of this project, Lighthouse students say they are hoping to raise $10,000.

“The students set that goal. They knew the need. I basically said, ‘what do you think is possible’ and that’s the goal the students set, so I’m excited for them to reach that goal and will do everything possible to reach that goal,” Davenport said.

Definite dates for this project have not been set, but school leaders say they will be sometime next spring.

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