It's Been Ten Years of Success for Oregon Zoo's Zoo Animal Presenters (ZAP) Program

By Bill LaMarche

Portland, OR - Zoo Animal Presenters, the Oregon Zoo's award-winning youth education program, reached a milestone this year when it celebrated its 10th anniversary.

ZAP is a two-year paid internship program serving 20 low-income teenagers with diverse cultural and educational backgrounds from the Portland metropolitan area. Every year, more than 100 youths apply for 10 open positions and take part in an in-depth interview process led by current ZAP members.

Members of ZAP train for months in natural science, animal handling, interpretation methods and public speaking. They take these skills back to their neighborhoods to provide live animal-based outreach programs for children and families underserved by conservation programs. These programs are facilitated by the local Boys and Girls Clubs, Portland Parks and Recreation and other organizations serving low-income children and families.

"ZAP members gain confidence and real-world work experience through this program," said Pam McElwee, ZAP program coordinator.

Second-year ZAP members are also counselors for the zoo's Urban Nature Overnight program. UNO serves youths who have not traditionally had access to outdoor experiences. The ZAPs teach third- to fifth-graders outdoor recreation skills and basic environmental concepts while camping overnight at the zoo and local natural areas.

"Coming back and watching the teens go through the ZAP program makes me so happy," said Cynthia Barron, an UNO staff member who participated in ZAP from 2002 to 2004. "I know how much of a difference it made in my life, and I want teens to continue having the same great experience in the program."

Since 1999, ZAP has employed 121 teens and provided thousands of outreach opportunities to more than 77,000 children and adults. UNO has taken 2,800 children on camping trips and provided school-year programming for more than 400 youth since its establishment in 2000.

"Through these programs, we hope to ignite young people's interest in wildlife and encourage them to pursue the outdoors through school, family and even careers," said Mike Keele, acting zoo director. "These programs truly focus on the zoo's mission to inspire the community to create a better future for wildlife."

The zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission to inspire the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California condors, Washington's pygmy rabbits, Oregon silverspot butterflies, western pond turtles, Oregon spotted frogs and Kincaid's lupine. Other projects include studies on black rhinos, Asian elephants, polar bears and bats.

The zoo opens at 8 a.m. daily and is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. Zoo visitors are encouraged to ride MAX or take TriMet bus No. 63. Visitors who take the bus or MAX receive $1.50 off zoo admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit www.trimet.org for fare and route information.

General admission is $10.50 (12-64), seniors $9 (65+), children $7.50 (3-11), and infants 2 and under are free; 25 cents of the admission price helps fund regional conservation projects through the zoo's Future for Wildlife program. A parking fee of $2 per car is also required. Additional information is available at www.oregonzoo.org or by calling 503-226-1561.

Photo caption: Zoo Animal Presenters Eddy and Lana prepare a snake for an educational presentation at the Oregon Zoo. Photo by Brock Parker, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.

To view Oregon Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-382-Oregon_Zoo