With “green month” fast approaching, Jesuit’s Green Team has a few surprises in store for the community. After the success of Ms. Cope’s beloved therapy dogs (Neutrino, Freely, and Wonton) on campus, Green Team recently revealed that they will be bringing 30 free-range chickens to campus for green month.

Currently, 15 of the 30 chickens have been named: Strips, Tenders, Nuggets, Wings, Fried, Filet, Sandwich, Burger, Noodle, Parmesan, Ranch, Honey Mustard, Barbecue, Buffalo, and Aioli. 

The names of the remaining 15 chickens will be decided through a fundraiser by Green Team. The highest donors will have the opportunity to name a chicken after themselves. 

“These chickens are really going to help Green Team with sustainability efforts both directly and indirectly,” Green Team leader Stella Anastasakis said. “By donating to Green Team’s green month fundraiser, Jesuit community members will be recognized and honored by having a chicken named after them.

When they aren’t busy bringing in donations, the chickens will bolster the school lunch program–no, not by being eaten. 

In an exciting addition to the existing lunch menu, students can choose from a variety of fresh, free range egg dishes, including but not limited to scrambled eggs, poached eggs, deviled eggs, and omelets (Thursdays only). 

“I personally am really excited about this new addition to the Jesuit campus,” senior Ellie Gianola said. “I know we’ve had issues with supply chains and the food in the cafeteria hasn’t always been enough to feed all the students. I think that these eggs will help combat that problem.”

But the chickens will have another impact on lunch. Rather than wiping down tables at the end of the period, students with a lunch jug must assist with the daily feeding of the flock while those with after-school and Saturday jugs will clean the coop out bi-weekly.

Furthermore, the chickens will contribute to classroom learning. The environmental science and biology classes will have the opportunity to conduct lessons around the chickens, using them for studies on animals and their environmental impacts.

“We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Jesuit’s new chickens,” biology and environmental science teacher Ms. Humm said. “In April we are really going to be able to dive into the details of animal life better than we have been able to before thanks to the ability to study these chickens in person. It will be so interesting to see how the chickens affect the other plant and animal life on Jesuit’s campus.”

Finally, select chickens will be available alongside Neutrino and Freely to check out and take to class. As of right now, Nuggets, Aioli, and Parmesan have completed the necessary behavioral assessments and will be available to bring to classes as soon as April 4.

“I’ve always been the kind of person who enjoys the company of flightless birds, especially chickens and ducks,” sophomore Kekoa Dowsett said. “I honestly think that having a chicken present in the classroom would be so cathartic. Having a producer of sustenance and such beautiful little creatures in the classroom—I get emotional just thinking about it—would be a really powerful experience.”

The unexpected addition of chickens to our Jesuit community is very exciting. We hope all students will receive the chickens with open arms and make sure to close the gates behind them whenever they leave campus. Have a fantastic April 1st, especially if you believed this.