This article is one of the winning submissions from the first annual New York Post Scholars Contest, presented by Command Education.
In 2016, the one and only Tom Holland, most famous for his role as Spiderman, had disguised himself as a student at the Bronx High School of Science. He pulled a prank on everyone, including all the teachers. However, he isn’t the only celebrity that is affiliated with this high school—it is, in fact, home to the two sassiest chinchillas in the entire Milky Way.
Lily and Violet are local, furry celebrities in the specialized high school located in the upper Bronx. Although they mostly nap and eat twigs, they most certainly grab the attention of everyone in the classroom. I mean, who couldn’t resist the chubby and fluffy cheeks?
“I thought they were large rats at first. But no matter what they are, I just wanna squish it!” exclaimed a senior.
Not only are they awed by their round bodies and luscious long tails, but they are also very known for their sassy behaviors.
“One time, I fed Violet and they tried to bite off my finger! Never have I been so scared of a pet, but I forgive them, of course,” stated Afrah Chowdhury, a 10th-grade student.
“They are always giving me a side eye, I swear!” stated a freshman. “They would look at you with their daring dark eyes for a solid minute and then they would brush their tail against your hand and zoom off the next second!”
These two critters have a remarkable reputation. Even middle schoolers who came to visit the high school claimed that the primary reason why they came to the school was because of Lily and Violet, according to Dr. Schmidt.
Emily Schmidt is a biology teacher at Bronx Science who currently teaches AP bio, animal behavior and science research. She also takes care of all the animals in the school. From rats to guinea pigs, there is a big range of pets that live in room 333.
When asked to describe the pair, Dr. Schmidt used the word “curious” for Violet, whereas Lily was more “sweet” and “needed work to gain trust from.” She has been caring for these chinchillas for about a decade. In fact, they lived in the school longer than she had worked there. Allegedly, they have been given as a gift from a donor many years ago, and their age still remains a mystery till this day. The lifespan of a chinchilla is 10 to 15 years, so these two are potentially in their elderly era.
Dr. Schmidt continued to explain how Lily and Violet are very sociable animals. According to her, the chinchillas used to be placed in a room that was not open to students. Unfortunately, however, the pair became a little depressed and their fur was coming off. When placed in room 333, a very busy classroom with ambitious students, the chinchillas started to feel much better and their fur didn’t come off. With or without students, they still have each other by the end of the day. Because they were donated so long ago, it is not known if Lily and Violet are sisters. But whether or not they are related, they sure act like it. You can see them snuggle together almost every time. They eat, take naps and play with each other every single day.
When concluding, Dr. Schmidt stated that these rodents are overall very loved by the students. This is due to the fact that they are not common classroom pets and both have a lot of personality. However, she did point out that these animals require a lot of care. Student volunteers must be careful to hand them dry foods specifically, and to not overly touch them. Outside the classroom, wild chinchillas thrive in arid environments, so their needs are specific.
Because of their specific needs, it is controversial whether or not chinchillas should be classroom pets. According to PetMD, they are “nocturnal, excitable and don’t like to be handled.” They also prefer to roam outside of the cage and stay in cool temperatures. These conditions might be hard to maintain in a classroom, especially when kids are around.
Although they are not a common classroom pet, such as a goldfish and guinea pigs, some say they do bring in benefits to the students. According to Morgan Mulac from Quality Cage, they are low maintenance compared to other animals. They are also sociable and well behaved most of the time. They can teach students to be gentle, patient and overall mindful.
Regardless of the debate, Lily and Violet are permanent residents of room 333. They are loved by everyone, including students, teachers, janitors, alumni and many more. Although they may be old, they are given the best quality care by student volunteers and live a very lavish, comfortable lifestyle. And don’t worry about them being stuck in a cage every day; students take them home during school breaks and spend the holidays with them. They too go on vacations! This pair of chinchillas is a great addition to Bronx Science and they bring so much joy to the classroom.
A 10th-grader at the Bronx High School of Science in the Bronx, One aims to be a neuroscientist—and open a bookstore.