A staple of many elementary classrooms was having another “classmate” that maybe wasn’t the same as the rest of the children in the class: a class pet.

Now many years later, the current senior class is taking up the same task with a new not-so-furry friend hanging around the senior commons. Meet Shellias, the senior class hermit crab.

Shellias was brought back to Omaha from Lake Okoboji by his four parents:  Katherine Thaden, Sophie Reimer, Dylan Scott, and Nate Brown. He has grown on many people around the school, garnering attention from both faculty and students. When asked about acclimating to his new home and meeting plenty of new faces, this is what Shellias had to say:

“Everyone has been so nice to me so far! I feel like a real so-shell-ite around here! One thing I’m having a little bit of a hard time adjusting to is how chilly it is compared to Okoboji. Sometimes I get really crabby about the cold and have to burrow myself into the sand to preserve heat in a pinch. I’m having so much fun in my new home that I feel like shellabrating every day. I can’t wait to introduce you all to my friends and cool places that I’ve discovered all around campus!”

We hope to take you all with us on Shellias’ great adventures and antics in the near future, possibly featuring more of his crabulous friends.