Seventeen-Year-Old Takes His Fight for Vegan Food in the Cafeteria Straight to the Principal's Office
For Immediate Release:
March 14, 2012
Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382
Kissimmee, Fla. — If you think getting a veggie burger added to the lunch menu at Kissimmee's Professional and Technical High School sounds easy, you probably haven't talked with 17-year-old student José Rodriguez. Actually, it took months of organizing, petitioning, and negotiating with the school's top brass. In the end, Rodriguez prevailed, and now students have a healthy vegan choice in the cafeteria every day. For mounting a successful, hard-fought campaign that has changed his school for the better, Rodriguez has received a Star Street Teamer Award from peta2, PETA's youth division.
"José's determination means that students who've never even thought about going vegan will have the opportunity to try delicious meat- and dairy-free options that are as kind to their health as they are to animals," says peta2 Division Manager Marta Holmberg. "Young people are leading the animal-rights charge, and José is a trailblazer they can look to for inspiration."
Rodriguez's original suggestion that vegan burgers be served in the cafeteria fell on deaf ears, so he collected 250 signatures—including those of several teachers—in favor of the idea and presented the petition to the principal. The principal, who ultimately was moved by Rodriguez's commitment, spoke to the cafeteria department, which finally introduced the vegan burger.
Rodriguez's activism isn't limited to the school cafeteria. He teamed up with peta2's McCruelty campaign and held a protest at a local McDonald's against the abuse of chickens at the company's suppliers, and he recently organized a demonstration against the cruel Ringling Bros. circus in Orlando.
peta2's Street Team is a group of youth activists dedicated to helping animals through in-person events, online campaigns, and social media. Rodriguez, who also serves on peta2's Youth Advisory Board, will receive a framed certificate and a card signed by peta2 staffers.
For more information, please visit peta2.com.