Ark Charities seeks to infuse humane education into the educational experience of K-12 youth—in school curricula and after-school programs, in youth groups, in the community, and at home

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We catalyze humane education through transformative projects like our Compassionate Communities program, which take a district-wide approach to integrating humane education in schools. Through the our partnership with The HEART Network, 

  

We advocate for humane education, raising awareness in the educational and governmental sectors, and increase compliance with existing state laws related to humane and character education for grades K-12. 

 

We are committed to monitoring the impact of The ARK ED. projects and resources, and periodically conduct in-depth evaluations . These assessments demonstrated positive impact on the youth we serve.

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Our Approach

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Animal Connections

Children’s natural love for and fascination with animals are often some of their earliest and most formative experiences of true empathy for others. The Ark's approach to humane education takes advantage of these experiences to help children develop compassion toward not only animals, but also people and the environment. We focus on the interconnections between all living beings and the natural world, and address the root causes of harm. Schools and the communities they serve benefit as students gain greater awareness of their ability to help others and translate that ability into direct action.

Social and Emotional Learning

We provide resources and training that demonstrate how meaningful connections to various animal issues enhance SEL educational content and expand the impact of students’ direct actions in both their local and wider communities. These offerings also empower students to effectively communicate, listen, debate, self-regulate, and tackle their own biases and assumptions.

Developing Compassion and Empathy

Our humane education lessons help children develop an empathetic and compassionate approach to understanding and communicating with others – an essential skill in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world. We want to help students think critically about the impact of their actions so they make just and humane choices.

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