Story by Suzanne Rhodes
Photos by Wayne Rhodes
Their colors are pretty as jewels. Fourth
grader Allan A. is raising and caring for
eight blue, green and mixed-hue parakeets.
Two of them are tiny chicks who live in a
nest box and will be old enough to share
the big cage with the other birds in a week.
Allan goes to Butterfield Trail Elementary
School in Fayetteville. He met a parakeet
named Louie at Camp War Eagle and
liked him so much that he wanted to
have his own parakeet. His parents went
to craigslist. Some people on the list had
birds they couldn't take care of anymore,
so Allan got six birds from three different
houses. They have names like Jewel, Winter
and Shredder.
Fun-loving
BUDGIES
& the boy
who raises
them
Allan A.
"They're always doing
funny things. One
time Francisco tried
to eat a meatball."
~ Allan A.
46 • APRIL 2020 • Of f icialKidsMag.com
