On Monday, January 29, sophomore Andrea Rediess and junior Hannah Moore brought in new class pets to their chemistry teacher, Mr. Adam Burkhardt: Three mice.

“I was so shocked and excited when I saw a cage and people huddled around it,” said sophomore Jasmine Johnston.

Before buying the mice, Rediess and Moore talked to Burkhardt about getting them. The girls had the idea of buying them from a story he had told.

“We decided to get the mice because Burkhardt told us about one of his old class pets and we aren’t allowed to have anymore pets at home, so we got some for school,” said Rediess.

The girls come in every day during second period to clean their cages and feed them.

“It’s been really easy to take care of them,” said Moore. “We just come in during the teacher’s plan period and our study hall.”

At first, they put all of them in one cage, but that changed when they found out one was a male and there could possibly be baby mice on the way.

“In 20 days we could have about 30 mice in the classroom.” said Rediess. “If that’s so, we are going to have to try and get rid of them.”

Not everyone is excited about the new addition in the classroom. Science teacher, Kinsey Stwartztrauber, is a traveling teacher and uses Burkhart’s room during first and second period.

“I don’t like anything smaller than a cat,” said Swartztrauber.

Regardless, the mice are here to stay. Students have come up with the names for the females: Cheddar and Patricia. The male has not yet been named.