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What does your department do? How long did it take you to
complete the program?
The King Conservation Leadership Academy serves six under-
resourced communities located in the Chicago area, providing I started the program as soon as I started working at
informal science programs. We have programs serving children CZS as a part-time community relations program assistant.
in early education to middle school who may have difficulty I took two classes every semester. The program is year-round,
coming to Brookfield Zoo. We learn from our kids and family so I finished in 2½ years. [Participants take anywhere from
members and build connections. We focus on empathy and 2½ to 5 years to complete the program.]
hopeful environmental solutions to inspire conservation leadership.
How is the program structured?
Why did you apply to AIP?
There are in-person classes here at the zoo, which are super
I graduated in environmental biology from Beloit College fun. Agnes Kovacs did a great job setting up interesting guest
in Wisconsin, with a concentration in studio art. I feel very speakers. We also had really cool field trips and met profes-
comfortable with science information. But my background wasn’t sionals who are experts in their fields. My favorite class was
in education, so learning about communication and education Great Lakes Ecosystem. On a field trip to the Indiana Dunes
strategies and human behavior through the program made me National Park, a ranger gave us a tour of a bog, which is a
more confident in writing and delivering programs as an informal very unique ecosystem. We were able to ask questions about
educator in science. the animals and plants and how they’ve adapted to the histo-
sol and acidic soil of the bog.
What’s the online portion
of the program like?
The online portion of the program is with
Miami University professors. It connects you
to the larger Project Dragonfly community.
You message and work with partners who are
all over the U.S. and the world and who are part
of AIP, Earth Expedition, and the Global Field
Program. I was grateful to be able to learn about
(Top): Maggie Warren applies skills she learned in V9IE.W7S:M+
the Advanced Inquiry Program in her outreach work.
(Bottom): Agnes Kovacs shares a hands-on learning FANS:
opportunity with a student.
375K+
2 CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | 2019 IMPACT REPORT
FOLLOWERS:
27K
96K+
