While most college freshmen spent their Thanksgiving break enjoying a reprieve from early morning wake-ups, Tomas Dasek ’25 committed to at least one more — to represent the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation on Fox 5 DC. Standing alongside the executive director, Tomas helped make the pitch for viewers to consider giving a rescue pet a new “leash” on life. The Penn State freshman wasn’t just there as a casual volunteer, he was there as a seasoned advocate who had turned a high school service activity into an everpresent sense of purpose.
Tomas is the first to admit that his journey with animal rescue didn’t start with a grand mission; it started with a need to fulfill Flint Hill’s service hour requirement. “My brother started there his freshman year at Flint Hill so I just followed him. It was his thing, not mine,” he recalls. But that perspective shifted profoundly.
Lost Dog first assigned him to work their adoption events, which brought him tremendous joy. It tapped into his deep-rooted love for animals — one that blossomed during a childhood where his parents were constantly bringing home new furry family members. Tomas quickly went from volunteering because he had to, to volunteering because he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.
His dedication to his chosen cause was well apparent among his Flint Hill teachers and classmates. It wasn’t uncommon to see Tomas rushing to his car after school to drive 40 minutes to Purcellville to pick up a dog from the vet, only to drive another hour to the kennels to ensure the animal was settled for the night.
By the following summer, the work became more intentional. Since his brother was 18 and could drive, the duo spent their break participating in “Dog Ventures,” a program that allows volunteers to take dogs out of the shelter for a day of exploration.
They didn’t just look for the easiest assignments, though. Tomas and his brother made it their mission to advocate for the animals who needed it most, always telling the shelter, “Give us the dog that needs the most time out and the most pictures.” They spent the entire summer documenting these adventures, knowing that a single great photo or a day of socialization could be the key to helping a long-term resident finally find a permanent home.
The most visible manifestation of Tomas’s legacy at Flint Hill was his AP Ceramics “Sustained Investigation.” While most students focus on technique or aesthetics, Tomas looked for a way to use his craft to solve a problem.
He set a staggering goal: 200 hand-thrown dog bowls.
Working at a pace of nearly 20 bowls a week, Tomas spent hours at the wheel, trimming and firing pieces that would eventually be featured in Flint Hill’s annual Visual Art Show. The project was a massive success, raising approximately $2,000. True to form, Tomas didn’t stop at supporting his home base. As well as distributing the funds to Lost Dog, Tomas also gave some of the proceeds to a small shelter in West Virginia and a rescue center near his brother’s college in Daytona.
Tomas Dasek ’25 accepting the 2025 Community Service Award at Flint Hill School
Before he left Flint Hill, Tomas was recognized with both an Advisory Award (an honor given by his peers) and the Community Service Award (awarded by the community service department).
Tomas has become an accidental role model, showing his peers that service isn’t a box to be checked, but a way to integrate your passions into making a difference.
Even with the demands of five classes back at Penn State, Tomas remains a dedicated member of the rescue community. He currently serves on the Lost Dog “Cat Team,” managing rehoming emails and administrative tasks remotely from his dorm. When he returns home for breaks, his house transforms: last Thanksgiving, it was a mother and eight puppies; at Christmas, a mother and five kittens.
When asked how well he transitioned from Flint Hill to college Tomas admits it was definitely a bit of an adjustment. “One reason I chose Penn State,” Tomas reflects, “is that Flint Hill is small and there’s great things that come with that, but here I can meet so many different people from so many different places.”
The “small world” of Flint Hill has a funny way of appearing in the middle of a massive university, too. A fellow Husky, PJ Lyons ’25, ended up living on the very same floor. And it’s not infrequent for Tomas to run into Reid Feliciano ’25 and Will Franco ’25 in the dining hall. State College, PA can feel like the middle of nowhere, compared to the buzz of the DMV. “If you go anywhere off campus it’s just cattle and farmland,” he says, “so it’s nice to have people that know what life at home is like.”
As busy as his schedule is, between school work and volunteering for Lost Dog, Tomas has a philosophy of always making time for remaining social. “I’m dedicated to trying to find someone to go to dinner with every day,” he says. “I know the power of social interaction. I miss my Flint Hill friends and that sense of knowing people really well, so I know building those same connections needs my focus.”
Reflecting on that pre-dawn wake up for the Fox 5 segment, Tomas held on to something Lost Dog’s executive director told him as they wrapped filming. She pulled him aside to thank him for representing his generation with such deep commitment. “People are paying attention, partly thanks to me,” he reflects. “Maybe someone will consider fostering a pet because I did this. That’s enough for me.”