Teen Programs

Service Days

JHS regularly holds Middle and High School Service Days for students in need of volunteer hours (or who are simply passionate about helping pets!).

During our service days, participants complete a variety of service projects benefiting JHS while learning about animal sheltering, what dogs and cats go through while living in a shelter environment, and how we can help make their experiences as happy, healthy, and stress-free as possible.

All participants are awarded 4 community service hours at the end of each service day, and a pizza lunch is provided. A $35 donation is required to register. This donation helps cover the cost of project supplies.

Upcoming Middle School Service Days:

Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 11am-3pm

Theme: The Five Freedoms

Middle school students in grades 6-8 are invited to join us on Saturday, September 19, 2026, for a day of learning and service at the Jacksonville Humane Society!

Participants will learn about animal sheltering, the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare, and how we implement the Five Freedoms to make sure the pets of JHS stay happy and healthy during their stay before they’re adopted.

Service projects may include:
– creating enrichment items for the pets at JHS such as dog treats, food puzzles, cat toys, and more
– making kitten e-collars for after surgery
– making heating pads for neonatal kittens and surgery patients
– reading to the pets to help them feel more relaxed in their kennels

We may even meet a new furry friend or two!

All participants will be awarded 4 community service hours at the end of the day. A pizza lunch is included.

Sold out – join the waitlist.

Upcoming High School Service Days:

Our next High School Service Day will take place in December. Please check back for registration later in the year.

Compassion Club

Compassion Club is a new volunteer program for dedicated students ages 13-15 based around four themes of compassion: Empathy & Understanding, Collaboration & Community, Comfort & Care, and Generosity & Action. Each session will also focus on different departments at JHS, helping students explore career pathways in the field of animal welfare. Participants complete a group research project with the goal to benefit the lives of animals and improve animal welfare in Jacksonville. Participants will practice varying animal welfare skills, such as socialization, enrichment, and pet promotion, while implementing social-emotional skills to discover what compassion entails and how we can exercise it with pets, people and our community around us.

Program Details:

This program is offered during fall and winter, and includes five weekly club meetings for each cohort
Club meetings are from 10am-12pm on Saturdays (attendance at all meetings is mandatory)
Attendance at Compassion Club Orientation is mandatory
Completion of the program grants the participant a community service certificate for 15 hours
The program fee is $100 per participant

Graduation Requirements:

2-5 minute group presentation
Attendance at all club meetings
Completion of a pre- and post-survey
Completion of service projects

2026 Program Dates:

Session 1 – Fall 2026

Orientation: Wednesday, August 13
Saturday, August 15
Saturday, August 22
Saturday, August 29
Saturday, September 5
Saturday, September 12

Session 2 – Winter 2026

Orientation: Friday, November 13
Saturday, November 14
Saturday, November 21
Saturday, November 28
Saturday, December 5
Saturday, December 12

Applications for Session 1 (Fall 2026) are now closed. Applicants for Session 1 will be notified of their acceptance status by July 17.

Applications for Session 2 must be submitted by 5pm on Friday, October 2, 2026. Applicants for Session 2 will be notified of their acceptance status by October 16.

For more information, contact the Education Department:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 904.493.4588

Submit your Compassion Club application now!

High School Internships

Student Assistant Training Program

The Jacksonville Humane Society’s Student Assistant Training Program is an internship program open to students ages 16-18 who are currently enrolled in the Agri-Science program at Frank H. Peterson Academies OR a Duval County Title I Public High School.

This is a 12-week training program that consists of both classroom and hands-on learning at JHS. We typically take on 6 assistants at the start of the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters.

Choose from 3 different tracks:

Pet Adoption & Placement: Become an advocate for animals in need of loving homes! Assist our dedicated adoptions team in finding new families for the dogs and cats at JHS. Learn about the adoption process, engage with potential adopters, and witness the joy of bringing pets and people together. Students will work directly with our Adoption Counselors to help place homeless dogs and cats into new homes with families. Students will gain skills related to feline and canine handling, interpreting both human and animal body language, providing excellent customer service, utilizing shelter software and other general workplace duties including answering phones, greeting customers, and assisting the team with cleaning duties. If you have an outgoing personality, love both people and pets, and enjoy a fast-paced work environment, you will probably enjoy this position!

Animal Care & Enrichment (ACE): Students will work directly with our ACE team to ensure the animals in our care receive proper nutrition, interaction, and enrichment in a clean and safe environment. Students will gain skills related to feline and canine handling, interpreting animal body language, companion pet diet and nutrition, animal enrichment including dog playgroups, utilizing shelter software along with general workplace duties including assisting the team with laundry and kennel cleaning. If you have a passion for animals and their care, including large, energetic dogs and shy/fearful cats, you will probably thrive in this role!

Veterinary Sciences Support: If you are interested in a future career as a veterinarian or vet tech, this track is your perfect match! Students will work directly with our medical team to provide veterinary care to animals at JHS including physical exams, providing medication, assisting with surgery, and feeding neonatal animals. Students will be provided with an introduction to being a veterinary technician assistant, including interpreting animal body language, assessing animal wellness during exams, providing treatment for common ailments and illnesses, and more.

Expectations:

Maintain a professional attitude
Commit to 3 months of scheduled work with minimal absences (during the summer this program will be condensed into 2 months)
Be able to commit to 12-15 hours per week of in-person and remote learning (flexible scheduling based on student availability)
Show up to scheduled shifts reliably and on time
Be comfortable working directly with a diverse population of dogs and cats of different breeds and sizes
Be comfortable working around blood, urine, and feces
Have an interest in learning more about careers in animal welfare and/or veterinary care
Agree to professional attire including JHS uniform

Benefits:

Students who excel in their roles will be provided with the opportunity to gain additional skills and responsibilities.
All students will have regular access to their supervisors. Students who complete the program will also be given first consideration for employment at the Jacksonville Humane Society.
Students who complete the program in its entirety will receive a certificate from the Jacksonville Humane Society along with Fear Free certification.
Students will receive stipends after completing 60 hours, 120 hours, and 180 hours (for students attending Frank H. Peterson Academies, an additional stipend will be distributed upon completion of 240 hours).

If you meet the above qualifications and are interested in applying for a JHS’s Student Assistant Training Program internship, please email us at [email protected].

JHS’s Student Assistant Training Program is made possible thanks to the generosity of several generous friends of the animals along with:

SATP Thank You