{"id":108,"date":"2023-05-20T13:22:52","date_gmt":"2023-05-20T19:22:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:10029\/?page_id=108"},"modified":"2026-02-13T14:43:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T20:43:53","slug":"zoo-academy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/education\/zoo-academy\/","title":{"rendered":"Zoo Academy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column]<section class=\"page-navigation\">\n    <span id=\"dropdown\">Quick Links<\/span><ul><li><a class=\"page-navigation__item\" id=\"nav-connect\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/education\/zoo-academy\/#connect\">\n\n          Connect with the Zoo Academy        \n          <\/li><\/a><li><a class=\"page-navigation__item\" id=\"nav-photo\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/education\/zoo-academy\/#photo\">\n\n          Photo Gallery        \n          <\/li><\/a><li><a class=\"page-navigation__item\" id=\"nav-grads\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/education\/zoo-academy\/#grads\">\n\n          Zoo Academy Graduates        \n          <\/li><\/a><\/ul><\/section>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2>High School at a Zoo?<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Cincinnati Zoo Academy was established in 1975 as a vocational program for young men and women aspiring to be zookeepers. We have evolved into a full college preparatory program with a rigorous course load and hands-on lab experiences with Cincinnati Zoo educators, horticulturalists, animal care and behavioral teams, and world-renowned scientists.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Applications for the 2025-26 school have closed.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"button\" title=\"Contact Zoo Academy\" href=\"https:\/\/form.jotform.com\/61024225065949\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Zoo Academy<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;]<section class=\"image-carousel carousel-slider swipe aos col-span-12\">\n        <ul class=\"image-carousel__slides carousel-slides\" data-si=\"0\" data-pointer data-pointer-state=\"swipe\"><li class=\"image-carousel__slides-item carousel-slide\">\n        <figure class=\"image-carousel__slides-item__image lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy18.webp&#039;)\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"screen-reader-text lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy18.webp\" alt=\"zoo academy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 512px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 512\/384;\" \/>\n        <\/figure><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__slides-item carousel-slide\">\n        <figure class=\"image-carousel__slides-item__image lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/zoo-academy-4-scaled.jpg&#039;)\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"screen-reader-text lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/zoo-academy-4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 2560px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 2560\/1920;\" \/>\n        <\/figure><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__slides-item carousel-slide\">\n        <figure class=\"image-carousel__slides-item__image lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy20.webp&#039;)\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"screen-reader-text lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy20.webp\" alt=\"zoo academy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 512px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 512\/384;\" \/>\n        <\/figure><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__slides-item carousel-slide\">\n        <figure class=\"image-carousel__slides-item__image lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy23.webp&#039;)\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"screen-reader-text lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy23.webp\" alt=\"zoo academy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 512px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 512\/384;\" \/>\n        <\/figure><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__slides-item carousel-slide\">\n        <figure class=\"image-carousel__slides-item__image lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy22.webp&#039;)\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"screen-reader-text lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy22.webp\" alt=\"zoo academy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 512px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 512\/384;\" \/>\n        <\/figure><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__slides-item carousel-slide\">\n        <figure class=\"image-carousel__slides-item__image lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/zoo-academy-5-scaled.jpg&#039;)\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"screen-reader-text lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/zoo-academy-5-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 2560px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 2560\/1920;\" \/>\n        <\/figure><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__slides-item carousel-slide\">\n        <figure class=\"image-carousel__slides-item__image lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/za-scaled.jpg&#039;)\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"screen-reader-text lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/za-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"zoo academy student holding insect\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1920px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1920\/2560;\" \/>\n        <\/figure><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__slides-item carousel-slide\">\n        <figure class=\"image-carousel__slides-item__image lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy24.webp&#039;)\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"screen-reader-text lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy24.webp\" alt=\"zoo academy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 512px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 512\/384;\" \/>\n        <\/figure><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__slides-item carousel-slide\">\n        <figure class=\"image-carousel__slides-item__image lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/zoo-academy-cell-cakes-4-scaled.jpg&#039;)\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"screen-reader-text lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/zoo-academy-cell-cakes-4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 2560px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 2560\/1707;\" \/>\n        <\/figure><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__slides-item carousel-slide\">\n        <figure class=\"image-carousel__slides-item__image lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/zoo-academy-cell-cakes-1-scaled.jpg&#039;)\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"screen-reader-text lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/zoo-academy-cell-cakes-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 2560px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 2560\/1707;\" \/>\n        <\/figure><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__slides-item carousel-slide\">\n        <figure class=\"image-carousel__slides-item__image lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy9.webp&#039;)\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"screen-reader-text lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy9.webp\" alt=\"zoo academy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 512px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 512\/374;\" \/>\n        <\/figure><\/li><\/ul><nav class=\"image-carousel__navs carousel-controls\"><span class=\"prev-slide\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"previous\" title=\"previous\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/source\/assets\/icons\/ui\/arrow-styled-left.svg\" alt=\"image pointing left\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\"><\/span><div class=\"image-carousel__navs-scroller\"><ul class=\"image-carousel__indices carousel-indices\"><li class=\"image-carousel__indices-item carousel-index active lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy18.webp&#039;)\"><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__indices-item carousel-index lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/zoo-academy-4-scaled.jpg&#039;)\"><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__indices-item carousel-index lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy20.webp&#039;)\"><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__indices-item carousel-index lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy23.webp&#039;)\"><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__indices-item carousel-index lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy22.webp&#039;)\"><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__indices-item carousel-index lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/zoo-academy-5-scaled.jpg&#039;)\"><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__indices-item carousel-index lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/za-scaled.jpg&#039;)\"><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__indices-item carousel-index lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy24.webp&#039;)\"><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__indices-item carousel-index lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/zoo-academy-cell-cakes-4-scaled.jpg&#039;)\"><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__indices-item carousel-index lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/zoo-academy-cell-cakes-1-scaled.jpg&#039;)\"><\/li><li class=\"image-carousel__indices-item carousel-index lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ZooAcademy9.webp&#039;)\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><span class=\"next-slide\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"next\" title=\"next\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/source\/assets\/icons\/ui\/arrow-styled-right.svg\" alt=\"image pointing left\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\"><\/span><\/nav><\/section>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3>Entering the Lottery &#8211; Incoming Juniors<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The new lottery has opened for the incoming Zoo Academy juniors for next year! Find more information and f<span class=\"TextRun SCXP227112369 BCX0\" lang=\"EN\" xml:lang=\"EN\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXP227112369 BCX0\">ill out the lottery form for those who will <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXP227112369 BCX0\" lang=\"EN\" xml:lang=\"EN\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXP227112369 BCX0\">be full 11th graders in August at the button below.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXP227112369 BCX0\">\u200b<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]<a class=\"button\" data-aos=\"fade-up\" href=\"https:\/\/czbg.sharepoint.com\/:p:\/t\/MarketingPublicRelations\/IQC-5p0y2YXDRoqLaO7fMMrUAfIYd23D1WmFe5qfFPG3Vq8?e=VXaXgA\" target=\"_blank\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"\" title=\"\">More Info<\/a>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]\n    <div class=\"large-portal\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <div class=\"large-portal__image\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/460840525_10162081687525742_461235840875134310_n.jpg\" alt=\"zoo academy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1536px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1536\/2048;\">\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"large-portal__content\">\n            <h3 class=\"large-portal__title\">Shadow Days<\/h3>\n            <p>Are you interested in Cincinnati Zoo Academy? Shadow a student! If you\u2019re currently a CPS sophomore in high school (10th grade), we highly recommend attending a Shadow Day!<\/p>\n<p>Students must be vaccinated. High school students only.<\/p><a class=\"button\" href=\"https:\/\/form.jotform.com\/61024225065949\" target=\"_blank\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"\" title=\"\">Shadow at Zoo Academy<\/a><\/div>\n        <svg width=\"0\" height=\"0\" viewBox=\"0 0 100 100\">\n        <defs>\n            <clipPath id=\"large-portal-clip\" clipPathUnits=\"objectBoundingBox\">\n            <path d=\"M 1,0 L 1,1 L 0.04,1.002 C -0.002,0.898 0.098,0.304 0.03,0 L 1,0 L 1,0 L 1,0 L 1,0 L 1,0 L 1,0 L 1,0 L 1,0 Z\"><\/path>\n            <\/clipPath>\n        <\/defs>\n        <\/svg>\n        <svg width=\"0\" height=\"0\" viewBox=\"0 0 100 100\">\n        <defs>\n            <clipPath id=\"large-portal-clip-mobile\" clipPathUnits=\"objectBoundingBox\">\n            <path d=\"M 0,0.038 C 0.236,-0.002 0.698,0.068 1.002,0.022 L 1,1 L 0,1 L 0,0.038 Z\"><\/path>\n            <\/clipPath>\n        <\/defs>\n        <\/svg>\n    <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column]<div id=\"photo\" class=\"anchor\"><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"spacer\" style=\"padding-bottom:40px;\"><\/div>[vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4>Staff<\/h4>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"accordions themed accordion-list\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"accordions__tab\" role=\"tab\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <span class=\"accordions__tab-toggle tab-toggle\" role=\"button\" title=\"toggle tab\" aria-label=\"toggle tab\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n        <\/span>\n        <div class=\"accordions__tab-content tab-body\" role=\"tabpanel\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"first-child odd\">Katie Kemme <span class=\"last-child even\">Hazlewood<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"first-child odd\">Zoo Academy Team Leader<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-216894 aligncenter lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/zooacademykatekemme-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Teacher kneeling town with two dogs on a wooden bridge with leaves and grass in the background\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/225;\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"first-child odd\">Mrs. Kemme\u00a0<span class=\"first-child last-child odd\">Hazlewood\u00a0<\/span>is a 20-year veteran instructor who has worked at the Zoo Academy since 2010 teaching English (11\/12\/CCP), Geometry, Probability and Statistics, and Precalculus.\u00a0 She helps students improve their literacy and mathematical skills and increase conceptual understanding \u2014 all while having fun!\u00a0 She is also a certified Reading Specialist (K-12) and junior\/senior Class Advisor.<\/p>\n<p>\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\">\n                <summary><\/summary>\n                <p><\/p>\n              <\/details><\/div>\n      <\/div><div class=\"accordions__tab\" role=\"tab\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <span class=\"accordions__tab-toggle tab-toggle\" role=\"button\" title=\"toggle tab\" aria-label=\"toggle tab\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n        <\/span>\n        <div class=\"accordions__tab-content tab-body\" role=\"tabpanel\"><p>[sc_tab tab=&#8221;Chris Edelen&#8221; expanded_toggle=&#8221;true&#8221; title=&#8221;Read More&#8221; description=&#8221;In 2001 and 2002 he was privileged to join with Oceanites Inc. to participate in penguin population studies in, and around, the Antarctic peninsula. In addition to working in the coldest place on the planet, he has also done fieldwork in Guam; helping to restore the endangered Guam Rail back to their native habitat. Mr. Edelen is also on the board of directors for Echobats Inc. a non-profit organization that educates the public on the importance of bats and the role they play in our environment.<br \/>\nA Cincinnati native, Mr. E. enjoys cooking, karate, biking, and being a science nerd. He lives in Colerain Township with his wife, 2 sons, some Big Brown Bats, an African Grey Parrot, a Bearded Dragon, and Ripley the dog.&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"first-child odd\">Chris Edelen<\/p>\n<p class=\"first-child odd\">Zoo Academy Pathway Instructor<a class=\"image-link\" href=\"http:\/\/cincinnatizoo.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/edelen1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-174042 aligncenter lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/edelen1-293x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"293\" height=\"300\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 293px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 293\/300;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"odd\">While Mr. Edelen may have started his teaching career in 2014, he is no stranger to the Zoo Academy.\u00a0 Mr. E. spent 22 years working with students as a keeper at the Cincinnati Zoo in the Children\u2019s Zoo, Bird House, and Manatee Springs areas.\u00a0 It was his passion for conservation and educating people about the threats facing our planet that led him from working in the zoo to teaching in the classroom. A Cincinnati native, Mr. E. enjoys cooking, karate, biking, and being a science nerd. He lives in Colerain Township with his wife, 2 sons, some Big Brown Bats, an African Grey Parrot, a Bearded Dragon, and Ripley the dog.<\/p>\n<p>\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\">\n                <summary><\/summary>\n                <p><\/p>\n              <\/details><\/div>\n      <\/div><div class=\"accordions__tab\" role=\"tab\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <span class=\"accordions__tab-toggle tab-toggle\" role=\"button\" title=\"toggle tab\" aria-label=\"toggle tab\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n        <\/span>\n        <div class=\"accordions__tab-content tab-body\" role=\"tabpanel\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"first-child odd\"><a class=\"image-link\" href=\"http:\/\/cincinnatizoo.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Tracy-Greeley-Howard.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-207993 aligncenter lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Tracy-Greeley-Howard-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Tracy Greeley Howard teacher\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/225;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"first-child odd\">Tracy Greeley Howard began teaching in 2003 after moving to Cincinnati from Philadelphia, where she was a Zookeeper and a research scientist.\u00a0 She holds two Master\u2019s Degrees:\u00a0 MAT in Biological Science from Miami University and MEd in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Cincinnati, with an Educational Leadership endorsement from Ohio Dominican.\u00a0 Tracy is a Senior Professional Educator in Science and Career Technology with the Ohio Department of Education who has sat on several state-level subcommittee boards, and a Certified Lead Teacher with Cincinnati Public Schools who has written several district-wide content curriculums, served as a teacher evaluator, served on the Local Professional Development Committee, and served as Program Facilitator for several CPS programs.<\/p>\n<p>\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\">\n                <summary><\/summary>\n                <p><\/p>\n              <\/details><\/div>\n      <\/div><\/div><div class=\"spacer\" style=\"padding-bottom:60px;\"><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column]<div id=\"connect\" class=\"anchor\"><\/div>[vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"last-child even\">Connect with Zoo Academy<\/h4>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"sidebarintro intro-text first-child odd\">\n<h5 class=\"last-child even\">Contact Us<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sidebarcontent last-child even\">\n<p class=\"even\"><strong class=\"first-child odd\">Katie Kemme Hazlewood<\/strong><br class=\"even\" role=\"presentation\" data-uw-rm-sr=\"\" \/>Lead Teacher<br class=\"odd\" role=\"presentation\" data-uw-rm-sr=\"\" \/>Work # 513-363-2000<br class=\"even\" role=\"presentation\" data-uw-rm-sr=\"\" \/>Cell # 513-518-8172<br class=\"odd\" role=\"presentation\" data-uw-rm-sr=\"\" \/>Zoo Academy Office: 513-363-2000<br class=\"even\" role=\"presentation\" data-uw-rm-sr=\"\" \/><a class=\"last-child odd\" href=\"https:\/\/form.jotform.com\/61024225065949\">Zoo Academy Contact Form<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"even\">Zoo Academy in the News<\/h5>\n<p class=\"odd\"><a class=\"first-child last-child odd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pastfoundation.org\/post\/189-how-zoo-schools-are-changing-the-education-landscape\">Learning Unboxed<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"even\"><a class=\"first-child last-child odd\" href=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.podbean.com\/e\/nhy-aire-zoo-academy\/\">Cincinnati Zoo Tales Podcast<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5>Social<\/h5>\n<p class=\"first-child odd\">follow\u00a0<strong class=\"first-child last-child odd\">#CZBGZooAcademy<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child even\"><a class=\"first-child odd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/204324252929404\">Facebook<\/a><br class=\"even\" role=\"presentation\" data-uw-rm-sr=\"\" \/><a class=\"last-child odd\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CPSHoward\">Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"line-spacer\" style=\"padding-top:40px; padding-bottom:60px;\"><hr><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div id=\"grads\" class=\"anchor\"><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3>Graduates<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4>Paul Reinhart, class of 1981<\/h4>\n<h6>Senior Keeper, Children\u2019s Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo<\/h6>\n<p>When I started at the Zoo Academy (NRM) I was a very shy, introverted youngster that did not do well in school. From the very first I knew I had found a home. The teachers were different than I had had before and I was amazed by the keepers that I worked with. And, even my fellow students in class seemed to treat me with a respect and camaraderie that I was not used to.[\/vc_column_text]<details class=\"simple-expander\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <summary>Read More<\/summary><div>I remember clearly our first week or two in the program an ostrich had died in the veldt. After the zoo\u2019s vet had done his necropsy they let our teacher and the whole class dismantle this ostrich, render it all down to the bare bones and it was kept in the class room as a learning tool. I should mention the teachers Dick Mills, Mrs Thelma Shotten (English) and Claire Ehrlinger (Horticulture) and all the animals keepers had a profound effect on me. Looking back, I wouldn\u2019t change that experience for anything.<\/div><\/details>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;]<div data-aos=\"fade-up\" class=\"image-block themed\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/paul.png\" alt=\"Paul Reinhardt\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 862px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 862\/1051;max-width:300;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/div><!-- .img-block -->[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"spacer\" style=\"padding-bottom:60px;\"><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4>Jenny Gainer, class of 1999<\/h4>\n<h6>Curator, Aviculture, Cincinnati Zoo<\/h6>\n<p>The Zoo Academy was exactly the type of program I needed as a teenager.\u00a0 I had a great relationship with all of the teachers and was assured every day that I could get the mentoring and encouragement I needed to succeed on many levels.\u00a0 I knew I loved animals as a kid, but The Zoo Academy took my love to the next level offering a range of college prep science courses, as well as hands-on experience within the zoo\u2019s animal departments.[\/vc_column_text]<details class=\"simple-expander\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <summary>Read More<\/summary><div>The work I did as a teenager alongside zookeepers gave me an opportunity I could never get by sitting in a classroom all day. The keepers gave me great lessons on not just animal husbandry but sometimes life lessons as well! Almost 20 years later I have the pleasure of still working some of those people and I can\u2019t imagine doing anything else. Every day I get to work with some of the most amazing species on earth and be a part of their conservation story. The Zoo Academy gave me the platform to get where I am today.<\/div><\/details>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;]<div data-aos=\"fade-up\" class=\"image-block themed\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jenny-penguin.jpg\" alt=\"King Penguin walking through the zoo\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1254px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1254\/2048;\" \/><\/div><!-- .img-block -->[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"spacer\" style=\"padding-bottom:60px;\"><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4>Natalie Lindholm (Natalie Ruth Mashburn)<\/h4>\n<p>My dream as a kid was to work at The Cincinnati Zoo, and it still is to work at the Cincinnati Zoo!\u00a0 As a tot I started my involvement with the zoo as a ZOT (Zoologist of Tomorrow), then after my ZOT final project entry I was invited, by Barry Wakeman, to join AIZ (Adventures in Zoology).\u00a0 After graduating AIZ I became a JZ (Junior Zoologist) which was, at the time the premier education group for young people ages 15-18.\u00a0 In and around that time, the \u201cZoo School\u201d was starting up (late 70\u2019s), and had recruited a fantastic teacher by the name of Dick Mills.\u00a0 The school was then called \u201cNatural Resources Management\u201d, and was planned as more of a vocational school, geared more for kids entering the work force upon graduation from high school rather than college prep.\u00a0 When I found out about NRM, I knew I wanted to go to that program more than anything.\u00a0 I had been volunteering in the summers with the Education Department (when Thane Maynard was starting out there!!), and then I began working on my parents to let me go to NRM.[\/vc_column_text]<details class=\"simple-expander\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <summary>Read More<\/summary><div>My given name is Natalie Ruth Mashburn, NRM. When my father went with me to talk to Mr. Mills about the school, he thought it suspicious that NRM was everywhere! Until he realized the name of the program! I was supposed to have entered into the school in the fall of 1981, but it was full. We decided that I would be able to get a few classes, such as Government, and some upper level math courses, out of the way before entering the program in 1982 so I wouldn\u2019t have to go to night school. In total, I was in high school for 5 years. That was really OK as I had been put ahead in Kindergarten, since I\u2019m born in October\u2026 So, I really ended up in my real class anyway.<\/p>\n<p>The Cincinnati Zoo was always a special place for me. Beginning from when I was a little kid and going with my family, to when my mom would drop me off to go draw animals all around the zoo in the summers. If I wouldn\u2019t have been college bound, I\u2019m sure I would have been happy and fulfilled having gotten a job at the zoo upon graduation. My time there was so special! I loved the zoo, the grounds, the animals, the keepers, the other staff, I just loved the whole package! Getting to work in the animal (and Horticulture) departments was such a privilege! Most of the keepers were wonderful teachers. Some were wonderful mentors! From giving advice, criticism, and support, keepers helped shape who I was, and who I was to become. That may sound corny, but zoo keepers are a very special species! Paul Strasser, then a keeper in the Nocturnal House (now the Executive Director of The Red Wolf Sanctuary) urged me to go beyond high school graduation and go to college, and then proceeded to plug his Alma Mater, Montana State University. I applied and was accepted, and entered into my new life of academia in 1984.<\/p>\n<p>At Montana State, I knew I wanted a degree that was in line with what zoos were then starting to require for hiring, \u201cBiology or \u201crelated field\u201d\u201d. I ended up with a degree in Range Management, which was sort of like Wildlife Management, but without rigorous chem, phys, math. In the summers from 1984 to 1990 (with the exception of \u201988), I got to work in the new Joseph H. Spaulding Children\u2019s Zoo, and got to \u2018be a keeper\u2019 for the summers, then go back and resume studies at school, the best of both worlds! In 1991 I finally graduated, and landed a coveted keeper position at The Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, Texas. I had the degree from a university to boost my credibility on paper, but my zoo experience was evident to my curator. Even though I was the last one to fill 5 open positions the Fort Worth Zoo had just opened, the Mammal Curator, Steve Clark, remarked to a fellow keeper that he could \u201ctell\u201d that I had come from prior zoo experience. I think it was from having to learn how to hustle and work fast, yet efficiently when doing one\u2019s assigned areas (thanks to the Veldt, the Bird House, Nocturnal, and Children\u2019s Zoo!!!).<\/p>\n<p>I have been in the zoo business almost full time since 1991. I stayed at Fort Worth from \u201991 to \u201999, then moved on to Disney\u2019s Animal Kingdom. I was only there a year, then moved back to Texas with my spouse, who was (is) also in the zoo business. We worked at The Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas, then on to The Dallas World Aquarium. In \u201909 I started a two year veterinary technology program, and by the end of \u201909 I left my position at the aquarium. I held a part time position at the Dallas Zoo while in school, but it was only a temporary position. Upon graduation from the vet tech program, I applied for a head zookeeper position at The Gladys Porter Zoo, in Brownsville, Texas. I have been here for almost 2 years now. A lot of the skills of zookeeping I learned at Cincinnati, I have taken with me through all of the other zoos I\u2019ve worked in. I know a lot of people who go to zoo school go into other professions, and I\u2019m probably one of the few from my time who went from zoo school, to university, to working in zoos, so I\u2019m one of the few who really gets to apply a whole range of skills into my present job! I\u2019m so grateful for my time at the zoo school, and even though I not only moved to another school for junior and senior year, I moved to a different graduation date than was planned for me! I\u2019d never trade the experiences for what could have been what I was supposed to have done!!!<\/div><\/details>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;]<div data-aos=\"fade-up\" class=\"image-block themed\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/416941_10151109306977971_1050263799_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 330px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 330\/330;\" \/><\/div><!-- .img-block -->[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"spacer\" style=\"padding-bottom:60px;\"><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4>Alex (Phil) Sanders, Class of 2006<\/h4>\n<p>You\u2019ll have to excuse me if my sentences run a little long in places, or if my nostalgia gushes uncontrollably in other areas. The prompt was my thoughts and experiences at the Cincinnati Zoo Academy. I\u2019ll try to keep this short.<\/p>\n<p>For me, going to the Zoo Academy was no accident, when it came time for middle school me to pick which high school to go to, I decided to pick the most outrageous place I could go. I was a middle child and my older siblings had attended schools all over the city. I was tired to of being in the shadow of someone else. Gone were the days where older students I didn\u2019t know would already know my name, or call me so and so\u2019s little brother, or flat out call me by my sibling\u2019s name. Nope, no more of that!&lt;[\/vc_column_text]<details class=\"simple-expander\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <summary>Read More<\/summary><div>I scoured the Cincinnati Public school listings: Taft, Aiken, Withrow, you name it and someone in my family had already attended. Then, something came up that made me wonder if there was a typo; The Zoo Academy. It was different, and it was right down the street from my house. Sold! A little wrangling later, I convinced my friend Kenneth to sign up too, I told him that it would be easy and we\u2019d be blazing new trails in our respective families. History has a way with plans, and I couldn\u2019t fathom the thought that Kenneth would back out at the last minute, or that the Zoo Academy was so much more academically rigorous than anything I had ever experienced.<\/p>\n<p>At The Zoo Academy my thirst for knowledge was constantly whetted. I didn\u2019t know that a plant could be a boy, a girl, or both? I knew that the dinosaurs died out in a mass extinction, but I had no clue that there were four other mass extinctions in our planet\u2019s history. Truly, 99% of all species to have ever existed are already gone. The big picture was present, but so was the small, everyday fascinations: the animals that we had in the classroom. I loved feeding this lizard that we kept in the big classroom. I would trash talk the whole schooling system, my teachers, peers and expound upon my theories of learning and the world. And then this lizard would turn it\u2019s little head towards me, and flicker it\u2019s neck in understanding. Don\u2019t tell anybody, but I always fed that little guy an extra meal-worm or cricket.<\/p>\n<p>Nothing was ordinary about The Zoo Academy. On our first day we were learning the do\u2019s and don\u2019ts of holding snakes, baby alligators and other small animals. One girl couldn\u2019t contain her amazement, \u201cIt moved!\u201d to which the trainer replied, \u201cThey do that when they\u2019re alive.\u201d Another girl soon needed to be assisted in the restroom when she froze too long while a snake went exploring around her shirt. When my mentor came to visit the school, he was shocked that there was a cheetah in the classroom being petted by students. And the school attracted a crazy bunch of students. Real deal, one kid was named Badger. It doesn\u2019t get much different than that.<\/p>\n<p>Familiar as well as unfamiliar hands-on learning goes on at the Zoo Academy. From the dissection of amphibians and looking through microscopes in the classrooms, to the nitty gritty of shoveling elephant poop in the elephant house or swimming with manatees in the various lab rotations. Between three and four week rotations, we would spend two hours a day working with zoo keepers in various departments each school day to earn hours and experience towards the animal husbandry certificate that we earned in addition to our high school diploma. And you know what, sometimes real-world life lessons on encroach on the standard curricula.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll never forget the time I was working in the Elephant house, hauling bails of hay back and fourth each morning with Val, one of the keepers. Even one short flight of stairs was too much for me, I would put my hay in a bin and drag it to the elevator to get to from the commissary area to the animals upstairs. One time Val caught me in the act, \u201cyou\u2019re taking too long, are you goofing off or something?\u201d To which I replied, \u201cOh, I\u2019m using the elevator, saving stress on the knees.\u201d Val gave me what could only be described as an \u2018inter-generational\u2019 look, and I never took the elevator again. I learned a lot of things the hard way, like having to finish up lab hours after I had technically graduated high school in order to complete my animal husbandry certificate. I learned that being late to school all those mornings had a real consequence, and that consistency is key.<\/p>\n<p>While I\u2019m so glad that I got a second chance to cover up some of my mistakes, collectively, we rarely get a second chance to right our wrongs. Our modern world and economy can be short sighted, and sometimes that means robbing the planet of biodiversity in the name of quarterly outlooks. In 90 days you can wipe out 90,000 years worth of progress. I am so glad that I learned that sustainability and progress are not mutually exclusive, and that some things are just plain worth the wait. I believe that the tortoise and the hare is required reading in our culture for a reason: if we decide to live only for today, then there is no problem with poaching and deforestation, but if we live for tomorrow then we will decide to use our resources in a sustainable way that will benefit generations to come. Because I went to the Zoo Academy, I have called and written letters to my congressmen and become a more conscience consumer.<\/p>\n<p>What is the value of a Zoo Academy education? Try explaining the thrill of skydiving to someone who has never done it themselves. I wish more students could get the great experiences that the Zoo Academy has to offer. For me, I loved it so much that I created a scholarship at the Zoo Academy, and if I ever make it big the first check I\u2019m going to cut is going to be for sending a whole Zoo Academy class on an African Safari! There you have it, I tried to keep it short, but let\u2019s be honest, the Zoo Academy is a life changing experience.<\/div><\/details>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;]<div data-aos=\"fade-up\" class=\"image-block themed\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/zooacademygraduate-300x195-1.png\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/195;\" \/><\/div><!-- .img-block -->[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"spacer\" style=\"padding-bottom:60px;\"><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4>Emily Gross, class of\u00a02012<\/h4>\n<p>My name is Emily Gross and I am currently a Biology major and Environmental Science minor at Hanover College. The experience I gained at the Zoo Academy helped me to get into college, get a job with the school newspaper, and get a job at the Dwight Chamberlain Raptor Rehabilitation Center. The most important thing the Zoo Academy taught me was to pursue what I love, regardless of cost. By simply having the goal to pursue what I love, I have had the experience of going to Chicago, The Grand Canyon, and Guatemala- all of which was paid for by my college, not out of pocket.<\/p>\n<p>This year I will be going to Greece, back to the Grand Canyon, Peru, and then studying abroad in Australia. College offers many amazing opportunities and the Zoo Academy was just a stepping stone towards achieving my dreams. My advice to everyone is cherish your time spent at the Zoo and plunge forward into as many new experiences as you can. You have to have the courage to take a chance at your dreams.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;]<div data-aos=\"fade-up\" class=\"image-block themed\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/emilygrosszooacademy.png\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 349px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 349\/326;\" \/><\/div><!-- .img-block -->[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"spacer\" style=\"padding-bottom:60px;\"><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4>Tyeisha Cole , class of 2007<\/h4>\n<p>I knew I would attend the Zoo Academy when I was just 13 years old. I won a scholarship in sixth grade to participate in the Cincinnati Zoo\u2019s Junior Zoologist program. It was a life changing experience to witness countless bald eagles in the wilderness. The program coordinators who eventually became life long mentors advised me to look into the Zoo Academy program for high school students. When I entered 9th grade, I met Mr. Glen Schulte in the hallways of Hughes. I told him I would be in the next cohort of students studying at the Zoo.[\/vc_column_text]<details class=\"simple-expander\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <summary>Read More<\/summary><div>The Zoo Academy became a home away from home. It was a place I could dive deeply into life sciences that fascinated me. I learned about the importance of wildlife conservation techniques that included community development. I spent dozens of hours in the reptile house; intrigued by venomous vipers and the sheer power of constricting pythons. I was able to challenge theories of evolution and compare the anatomy of various creatures first hand. I cared for endangered Sumatran rhinos, and learned how important research was to help wild populations. We even studied how some plants can be sexually dimorphic (to demonstrate which is male or female in the species), and how some plants could \u201cmark territory\u201d in their own special way. The Zoo Academy most importantly showed me how complex our ecosystems are. Today, I am completing an M.S in Environmental Policy. My education from the Zoo Academy guides my personal and professional career choices till this day. I hope in fifty years, it continues to inspire young and old minds alike.<\/div><\/details>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;]<div data-aos=\"fade-up\" class=\"image-block themed\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tyeishacolezooacademy-217x300-1.png\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 217px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 217\/300;\" \/><\/div><!-- .img-block -->[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"spacer\" style=\"padding-bottom:60px;\"><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4>Emily Benjamin, Class of 2013<\/h4>\n<p>Everything I ever needed to know, I learned at the Cincinnati Zoo Academy.<\/p>\n<p>Okay, maybe that\u2019s a bit of an exaggeration but it\u2019s a near thing. High school is supposed to be where you build yourself up to be a part of the adult world and I know the Zoo Academy helped me tremendously. The teachers honestly care and small class sizes mean that everyone gets the amount of help that they need. The classes can be tough but they\u2019re fair and if you want to go into an environmental field the Zoo Academy will give you an advantage.[\/vc_column_text]<details class=\"simple-expander\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <summary>Read More<\/summary><div>Like many other students, one of my favorite parts of the Zoo Academy experience was the time spent in animals labs around the zoo. My first day of labs I was sent to work in the primate center and had no idea what I was doing. It was honestly overwhelming but I just rolled up my sleeves and did what I was told. That\u2019s what you do when you\u2019re a Zoo Academy student. The learning curve is steep but if you value hard work you\u2019ll definitely succeed. You\u2019ll be expected to work just as hard as any of the interns but it all pays off.<\/p>\n<p>One of the best things about the ZA is the small class sizes. In a typical high school setting there are hundreds of students and it\u2019s easy to get looked over in the crowd. In the ZA it doesn\u2019t happen. You learn, eat, and work with the same group of people. By the end of senior year my class had formed lasting friendships and we keep in contact to this day.<\/p>\n<p>I still think attending the Zoo Academy was one of the most rewarding things in my life. I learned that hard work gets you everywhere and that if you apply yourself you will be more than ready for life after high school. If you\u2019re trying to decide whether or not you want to attend the ZA, do yourself a favor and do it. You\u2019ll work hard, learn a lot, and make some lifelong friends and memories along the way.<\/div><\/details>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;]<div data-aos=\"fade-up\" class=\"image-block themed\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/emilyzooacademy-300x225-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/225;\" \/><\/div><!-- .img-block -->[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"spacer\" style=\"padding-bottom:60px;\"><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4>Rebekkah Mulholland,\u00a0Class of 2004<\/h4>\n<p>When I registered for high school, I thought that it would be cool to sign up for the Zoo Academy especially since at the time I wanted to be a Marine Biologist. I had no\u00a0idea what I was getting myself into. The first few days involved animal handling training. I knew this experience was going to be a doozy when I had to pick up a baby alligator that looked none too happy to see me. This unsettling experience was a reward wrapped in disguise that was just the beginning of many more rewarding unforgettable experiences to come over the next two years. My first lab was Nocturnal House. My duties for a few weeks included washing windows, washing blood buckets that belonged to the vampire bats, and pulling food bowls from the animals housed in the dome.[\/vc_column_text]<details class=\"simple-expander\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <summary>Read More<\/summary><div>Some of my fondest memories involve feeding and bonding with the animals around the zoo. One afternoon while in Jungle Trails, I was cleaning the cages of some of the monkeys and also preparing to feed the ring-tailed lemurs when news broke that Michael Jackson was being arrested. I proceeded to hand each of them some food and spoke to them about what I was seeing on the television. They are attentive animals. They all came up to the bars reaching for food. I learned that lemurs and monkeys enjoy watching television. While all the other lemurs went about their business, I was handing grapes to a baby lemur. He took it from me and held it out to me!<\/p>\n<p>Another memory that sticks out to me was my time in the Children\u2019s Zoo. In the afternoon, the public is allowed to go into the yard with the Nigerian Dwarf goats to feed and play with them. How many people get to say they spent their afternoon playing with goats? My friend Cece and I also learned that elephants love jellybeans just as much if not more than peanuts. Who knew? There are just so many memories I could share about my experiences at the Zoo Academy.<\/p>\n<p>It was truly a pleasure working with and learning from the zookeepers who loved their job and absolutely adored the Zoo Academy. On numerous occasions, some were very encouraging of students returning to the zoo as zookeepers. The relationships we built with them were that strong.<\/p>\n<p>I am happy that my years spent at the Zoo Academy were spent with my closest friends who I still keep in touch with today. We often walk down memory lane and talk about our experiences at the Zoo Academy and the teachers who made us laugh, taught us so much as well as made us mad with the amount of homework they assigned us each night. If given the chance, I would choose the Zoo Academy all over again, no doubt about it. Although I did not go to school for Marine Biology or anything dealing with animals, the Zoo Academy definitely prepared me for college especially the rigorous course load. Here I am eleven years later with a Bachelors degree, two Master\u2019s degrees, and in my first year of doctoral studies and my years at the zoo still come up. Those two years at the Zoo Academy were a lot more memorable than many of my years in college. I have family following in my footsteps as one of my cousins is currently attending the Zoo Academy.<\/div><\/details>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;]<div data-aos=\"fade-up\" class=\"image-block themed\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Rebekkah-Mulholland-300x300-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\" \/><\/div><!-- .img-block -->[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"spacer\" style=\"padding-bottom:60px;\"><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4>Crystal Pepper (nae: Rose) Class of 2003<\/h4>\n<p>Being a graduate of the Cincinnati Zoo Academy has meant a lot to me. It has given me a sense of pride and self confidence that has helped me in the various jobs I have held since graduation, and left me with many memories to reminisce about. When I was a student there we had what basically amounted to a two room school house with a small office and computer\/ lunchroom. We had really nice bathrooms, two separate single bathrooms in the hall with our lockers. The classrooms were filled with various animal cages, tarantulas, fish, an axolotl. This was where we spent the last two years of high school studying zoology and botany but also learning how to be productive members of society.[\/vc_column_text]<details class=\"simple-expander\" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\n        <summary>Read More<\/summary><div>Much was expected of us, there was a lot of homework to prepare us for all the tests and exams. There was even more hands on learning and instruction particularly when out in the zoo at assigned \u201chouses\u201d. I remember one of the most fun experiences was when I was in the bird house and was supposed to feed the penguins in their exhibit and so I trekked up the stairs with the bucket of fish and opened the door to a rain shower and try as I might, I could not figure out how to turn it off, so I marched on in through it to finish the job. It was not all so fabulous though, it was freezing in the commissary sorting and gathering together the food for all the animal diets to be distributed throughout the park daily. Preparing the diets in the houses was all kinds of sticky and wet and the smell permeated your clothing and hair be it odor of primate or scent of Sumatran rhino. I was fascinated with these large yet gentle creatures and the elephants. I love elephants and I like to think they remember me still when I visit the zoo. Cleaning their yard and enclosure was hard work but I still smile picturing myself with that shovel and wheelbarrow at sixteen gaining my first real sense of responsibility.<\/p>\n<p>I had always felt out of place in school before but at the zoo academy I was part of the group and I became an active participant in the learning process. It was there that I started to find and use my voice and to be confident in my abilities. There seemed to me to be a real sense of family and comradery in our small group. We not only learned about science and animal husbandry but working on certain projects in pairs and on teams along with climbing through a cave and up a million stairs to cross natural bridge at Daniel Boone National Forest our senior year taught us that coming together and helping each other would help us each to individually succeed.<\/p>\n<p>I had the best teachers, when I struggled with my math classes they paid attention and gave me extra help, they found new ways to teach me when the usual methods just didn\u2019t work. When I didn\u2019t raise my hand in classes, they called on me more to answer. And when I was having problems at home and missed classes, they gave me a way to make up the work and not miss out on graduation. I have yet to meet such genuine, caring people. Giving up was not an option at this school.<\/p>\n<p>I hope that the Zoo Academy is still up and running strong when my daughter is ready for high school so I can send her there. The school is a truly unique experience, it builds character, a strong work ethic and desire to keep learning. Now, if only there was some kind of alumni association\u2026<\/div><\/details>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text] High School at a Zoo? [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Cincinnati Zoo Academy was established in 1975 as a vocational program for young men and women aspiring to be zookeepers. We have evolved into a full college preparatory program with a rigorous course load and hands-on lab experiences with Cincinnati Zoo educators, horticulturalists, animal care and behavioral [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":174107,"parent":40,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-108","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Zoo Academy | Cincinnati Zoo<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cincinnatizoo.org\/education\/zoo-academy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Zoo Academy | Cincinnati Zoo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text] High School at a Zoo? [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Cincinnati Zoo Academy was established in 1975 as a vocational program for young men and women aspiring to be zookeepers. 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