Annual Report 2007 - Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo

Learning Comes NaturallyZoo School NewsThe Florida Environmental Education Center or “Zoo School” at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo was developed toserve as an educational resource for the community and to provide exciting, nature-based programs forchildren of all ages. Classes began in fall 2000 at the state-of-the-art education center which today features17,400 square-feet of hands-on learning areas, 13 classrooms, the Frank E. Duckwall Foundation exhibit/lecturehall, a library, and dedicated entrance for school busses and children enrolled in programs.In FY 07, due to increased demand for education programs, construction began on a new Zoo Schoolannex with additional classrooms, restrooms and office space. The annex was designed to meet the needsof preschool-age children and programs for teens and youth at risk. The newannex was made possible by board member and Zoo School founderPatricia C. Sullivan, the Thomas Family, the U.S. Department of Housingand Urban Development, with special thanks to U.S. Senator Mel Martinez.The vision of the education department is to provide quality experiencesand build new programs for new audiences based on the needs of thecommunity. Zoo School programs are designed to be fun, innovative,imaginative and investigative for all ages.Teen/Youth ProgramsIn FY 07, Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo received a two year grant throughJane’s Trust which contributes $125,000 to create a pilot youthprogram. Securing this grant allowed the Zoo School to developthe ECCO (Education, Conservation and Community Opportunities)Leadership Program for up to 40 students between the ages of 12-18.Designed to complement the Zoo’s existing youth developmentofferings, the ECCO Leadership Programstrives to foster positive personaland professional developmentthrough education andconservation. A full-timeyouth programs supervisoroversees the exciting newendeavor, as well as theZoo’s existing teenprogram known asZoo Crew Explorers.Early Childhood EducationZoo School offers year-round, onsite daycare, preschool andkindergarten programs for children ages one through five.Zoo School programs are licensed by the HillsboroughCounty Child Care Licensing Office. As the only accreditedschool in the country run by a zoo itself, Zoo School isdesigned to meet Sunshine State curriculum objectives forFlorida state schools and is open to the general public.Camps, Classes and ProgramsThe Zoo School strives to foster respect for wildlife and thenatural world through unique zoo interactions. Classes andprograms include summer camps and holiday camps, parent& child classes for children ages 18 months to five years ofage, home school programs, scout workshops, birthdayparties, “nite site” sleepovers and “Edzoocator” workshops.For the first time in FY 07, the Zoo reached more than 1,500students in summer camp programs, generating revenueof $250,000.Community OutreachThe Zoo’s mission to “connect people with the living earth”reaches out to those that do not have the means to visit theZoo. Here are a few examples:“ZooVentures” programs, where the excitement of the Zoocomes to you, reaches thousands of people annually inschools, retirement centers, hospitals and special needscenters in Hillsborough and surrounding counties.Free admission and programming was provided to 2,402Hillsborough County school children in Mayor Incentiveschools, 249 Hillsborough County Public School Head Startchildren, 223 children less than two years of age whoaccompany school groups, and 924 people from nonprofitorganizations such as shelters, group homes and skillednursing facilities thanks to the Arthur L. Stuckey Fund,The Ivilyn Lowry Endowment Fund and the JacarleneFoundation Endowment Fund within the CommunityFoundation of Tampa Bay.Nine children were selected in cooperation with theTampa City Council for 12 weeks of summer camp toreach parents/caregivers of children that were eligible forfree or reduced lunches.Dedicated VolunteerismVolunteers are essential to the operation of Tampa’s LowryPark Zoo, contributing more than 35,700 hours in FY 07. Theycame to support special events, animal care, public educationand service projects.Some volunteers train and prepare to become docents, theLatin term meaning teacher. Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is proudto have 111 dynamic docents who contributed more than18,000 hours of service last year working to inspire visitorsabout conservation and the natural world.Page 7 Page 8