#zooteens

After applying to be a ZooTeen (a summer program the Oregon Zoo offers to students entering 9th to 12th grade) I was accepted into the program! I was ecstatic to be part of such an amazing program and get the opportunity to volunteer at the zoo twice a week! Training started and my excitement rose. I learned facts in a variety of topics such as animal husbandry, conservation, climate change, and sustainability. When it came time to the shifts we rotated between three different areas, with a 30 minute break in between. The shifts were as follows: “Interp”, where we presented snakes, hedgehogs, and turtles/tortoises, as well as played games with the public that taught about animal enrichment at the zoo; “Goats”, where we monitored people petting goats in the goat yards as well as talked about the adorable (but smelly) animals; and “Exploration”, here we presented animal biofacts (animal artifacts) as well as played a variety of games with the zoo’s guests. Each station was always interested and all had at least one component that I loved. However, I found the most interesting station to be Exploration, especially when talking about the biofacts. There was just something amazing about educating the public and sharing my enthusiasm for animals, especially when it spread to the guests I was talking to. Through experimentation I found effective ways of gaining, and maintaining, the public interest and reaching them to share the zoo message (that all animals are amazing and its humankind’s job to protect them). When talking about the polar bear pelt I could go into climate change and ways which we could help. Through this experience I not only expanded my love for animals, I also found that I have an interest in public education, or interacting with people. This helped me look to the future in what I want as a career. While originally I believe research would be the right career path for myself, I now see how much I enjoy working with others, leading me to explore a more interactive career path. 

New header for the zooteens' Facebook page.

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