Zoo to You
by Susie Wendland-Gardner
(Originally printed in our ZooView Magazine)
Honolulu Star-Bulletin Article
The Honolulu Zoo Society has a wonderful outreach program for our keiki entitled
"Zoo to You." The "Zoo to You" program is made possible by a partnership between
the Zoo Society, Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL),
New City Nissan and Friends of Hawaii Charities. It brings to the classroom
hands-on learning experiences about animals using biofacts such as eggs,
feathers, skins and skulls. Teachers can choose from one of eight programs
corresponding to their grade level (see below).
In keeping with our mission to provide the very best in wildlife education, we want to ensure that all of Oahu's keiki have the opportunity to learn about animals and the importance of preserving their habitats.
Although the Honolulu Zoo is designated as a quarantine station and not permitted to take live animals off zoo grounds, the "Zoo To You" program offers a wide array of course titles supported by an extensive (and fascinating!) collection of animal biofacts.
Teachers will be able to make reservations for a "Zoo To You" visit on weekday mornings
throughout the school year and select a topic that best suits their needs. We
offer "Animals A-Z" for the lower elementary crowd and "Endangered Species" and
"Mammals of the Honolulu Zoo" for upper elementary and middle school students.
We also offer career talks for Jr. High and High School students. Other programs
are in development and we always accept special requests! Keep in mind that all
of our programs have been aligned with the State of Hawaii's Science Content
Standards thanks to the assistance of the PREL.
Our first priority is to reach Title 1 schools that have not been able to visit the
zoo in the past years because of a lack of time or resources to organize a field
trip. "Zoo To You" will also be available to schools who may wish to prepare
their students to get the most out of a future zoo visit or help to review and
reinforce the knowledge they have gained following a visit.
We are very grateful to Customer Relations Manager Don Hirose and
President/General Manager John Uekawa at New City Nissan for their generous
donation of a 2002 white Nissan Quest van and to Friends of Hawaii Charities for
a $5,000 grant for start-up expenses.
We would also like to thank all our photo contributors whose wonderful images make up the van's exterior design. They include Paulette Greenfield, Alec's Photography and Digital Imaging, Hal Krause, Inge Davis, Duane Meier, Roy Toft and Michele Van Hessen. A very special mahalo to Chris Kehlor Design for her talent and hard work in bringing all the elements together and to Photographic Support, Inc., and the whole crew at Kapiolani Signs for their outstanding artistry.
