2010 ANNUAL REPORT Minnesota Zoo

enrichment program for low-income and minority youth at
Andersen United Academy in Minneapolis and Farnsworth
Aerospace Program grades 5-8 in St. Paul. Since the program
launched in 2008, more than 120 students have engaged in a
wide variety of activities that explore real world environmental
issues and help them understand and explore the possibilities
of careers in science.
The Zoo created MAP in partnership with Get Ready, a
federally-funded early intervention and college readiness
program. The goal is to help counter a nationwide science
achievement gap for minority youth and to address the dearth
of minority workers in science, most notably in natural
resource and wildlife careers.
In 2009 and 2010, the MAP program consisted of three
separate components: once-a-week after-school enrichment
classes; monthly environmental field trips to nature centers,
parks and the Minnesota Zoo for MAP participants and
their families (more than 80 family members participated in
2009/10); and a week-long summer careers camp focused on
science-based careers at the Zoo such as zookeeper, aquarist,
or veterinarian.
One of the highlights this past year was performing dissections
of various organisms and organs, including earthworms,
crayfish, cow eyes, and sheep hearts. For many students this
was their first dissection experience (schools are doing fewer
and fewer dissections because of the high cost of buying
preserved specimens). While the “gross factor” made it a really
cool activity for the kids, the experience also boosted their
confidence, imparted knowledge in life science content, and
helped them explore possibilities in scientific careers.
Minnesota Zoo 2010 ANNUAL REPORT
page 19