Local & Community
Local Students Learn That Kindness Extends to Animals
Students from James Workman Middle School's Boo2Bullying program got a behind-the-scenes look at animal care this week, touring Animal Samaritans' veterinary clinic and the Coachella Valley Animal Campus as part of an effort to connect compassion for animals with the values the program already teaches.
Animal Samaritans CEO Tom Snyder led the tour, walking students through the clinic and talking about the range of careers available in animal welfare. "We're going to talk about all the different positions that you might find in a veterinary clinic," Snyder said. "We're going to talk about pet wellness and being a responsible pet owner, why pets have to go to a veterinary clinic, and then we'll talk about animal shelters and what we can do to keep our pets out of the shelter."
After the clinic visit, the group headed next door to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus to continue the conversation about animal sheltering and what it means for a pet to thrive both at home and in a shelter setting.
Boo2Bullying Program Coordinator Dimitri Halkidis says the organization is expanding its focus beyond bullying prevention, rolling out a new initiative called "Teens Off Your Screen" that encourages students to step away from their devices and invest in face-to-face relationships. "Really challenge them to stay off of them and reduce the screen time and really focus on connection rather than online connections," Halkidis said.
Boo2Bullying is a Riverside County-based nonprofit that has operated free school and community programs across the Coachella Valley, Los Angeles, and the Inland Empire for more than 13 years, reaching over 30,000 students in the past year alone.
By: NBC Palm Springs
April 17, 2026
Latest Instagram Posts
CALIFORNIA IS AGING FAST... BUT WHERE WILL THE WORKFORCE LIVE? #therogginreport #coachellavalley #localnews #agingpopulation #nbcpalmsprings
119 jobs on the line and DRD’s General Manager won’t answer questions … Drop a comment 👇: Would you vote YES or NO on giving a district more money if they refuse to answer transparency questions? #therogginreport #drd #coachellavalley #localnews #nbcpalmsprings
Help us choose the next NBC Palm Springs Fan of the Week! Vote for Video 1, 2, 3 or 4. The fan with the most votes will win a pair of tickets to next week’s Coachella Valley Firebirds game! Voting ends Thursday. Who’s your pick?
Spirit Halloween has revealed its top Halloween costume trends for 2026, and pop culture is driving the picks. Off Campus, Toy Story, K-pop Demon Hunters, superheroes, Greek gods and warriors — and plenty of Dolly Partons — are expected to be popular. What are you dressing up as this Halloween? #Halloween2026 #SpiritHalloween #HalloweenCostumes #nbcpalmsprings
After a car drove through a walkway, damaging Bill’s Pizza, the restaurant appears to have begun repairs and is still open the following day. The neighboring store, Gallivant was also damaged and is closed until Monday. The store has a gofundme page opened for them by a neighboring bookstore to support the cost of the damages. NBC Palm Springs is following the effects of this accident and what this means to the Palm Springs community. #billspizza #palmsprings #continuingcoverage #localnews #coachellavalley
Researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are using bioengineered baker's yeast to break down plastic into ingredients for cookies.
Camden, Arkansas, is the unlikely hub of US missile manufacturing after years of conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have drained the country's arsenal. But the Trump administration's push to scale up defense production is colliding with the limits of the small, rural town.
Who makes the NBC Top 3, winner will be announced Sunday night on NBC Palm Springs, with the player who makes the number one spot winning a $250 prize from @hondaofthedesert! Comment below if it will 1) Devin Session with the diving TD, 2) Mason Flores with the dot on the run, 3) Reese Johnson with the clutch FG, 4) Kaylaun Smith running over defenders, or 5) Joshua Perez with the TD throw. #hondaofthedesert #fnl #fridaynightlights #fyp #highschoolfootball
🏒🔥 LET’S HEAR FROM TIM O’BRIEN! We’re kicking off Coachella Valley Firebirds Opening Night and catching up with Tim O’Brien! Hear what he has to say as the Firebirds get ready to hit the ice for another exciting season. 🏒🔥 #CoachellaValleyFirebirds #Firebirds #OpeningNight #Hockey #CoachellaValley PalmSprings CVFirebirds
SHARE this reel to help find ‘The Fab 5’ a home! 🐶🤍 #therogginreport #palmsprings #dogrescue #coachellavalley #nbcpalmsprings