Page 20 - Bookfield Zoo Chicago Annual Report 2024

King Conservation

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

This year has seen Zoo Adventure Passport! (ZAP!) is a • Our King Conservation Science
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free, out-of-school, community- and Scholars in 9 through 12 grades
tremendous activity and family-based learning opportunity and the teen leaders at Lincoln
for all ages (children and adults). Park Zoo teamed up to present the
achievement among ZAP! is comprised of a variety of 2023 Teen Conservation Leader-
program types: ship Conference, held at Brookfield
participants in the Zoo Chicago on July 21. The event
• ZAP!: Conservation Science
welcomed about 130 teens.
King Conservation Foundations, which provides an It included sessions on the explora-
understanding of specific conser-
Leadership Academy, vation stories and actions related tion of Safe Spaces in Nature,
a glimpse into the world of animal
to the animals of Brookfield Zoo
our educational program Chicago nutrition, the immediate effects of
• ZAP!: Storytime With the Zoo, being in a leadership program, and
for STEAM (Science, • ZAP!: Conservation Through which uses nature-themed stories, the infusion of art and technology
Gardening, which explores every- games, and songs to promote within nature.
Technology, Engineering, Arts, day actions rooted in sustainable early literacy and social-emotional • A team of eight King Conservation
gardening practices that support development
Science Scholars traveled with
and Mathematics) learning. local wildlife Our King Conservation Science the Zoo staff to Sarasota, Florida,
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• ZAP!: Conservation Science Explorers in 6 through 8 grades in August to assist in the Zoo’s
Adventures, which celebrates collaborated with Urban Rivers’ staff Sarasota Dolphin Research
urban green spaces by exploring in planning and creating habitats for Program. The teens participated
Chicagoland’s community gardens, wildlife, including bat and owl houses by helping with field work and dol-
parks, preserves, and other and floating platforms for turtles phin photo identification—known
natural areas and North American river otters. dolphins in the area were identified
Additionally, they helped create by the indicative nicks and notches
• ZAP!: Conservationists in Action,
complementary interpretive graphics in their dorsal fins.
which inspires the conservation
that are now posted for passersby to
leaders of tomorrow through shar-
view. Their hard work was celebrated
ing culturally-relevant stories of
during an unveiling of the projects
past and present conservationists
and signage along the Wild Mile of
the Chicago River’s North Branch.

16 BROOKFIELD ZOO CHICAGO