Alva Review-Courier -

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — It's bath day for the pet rats and ferrets at Southeast High School in Wichita.

Kenneth Borja gently lifts one of the rats — Zeus, Poseidon or Hades, it's hard to tell which — out of his cage. He carries the animal to the sink, lathers him with shampoo and holds the squirming rodent under warm water for a rinse.

"I really didn't choose this class. I was randomly put into it," said Borja, a senior. "But I found it to be interesting, so I stayed ... Now I've kind of grown close to the animals and I like taking care of them."

On the lawn just outside the classroom, sophomore...