Henry Vilas Zoo Experience
I have volunteered and worked at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, WI since 2017, occupying a variety of roles.
Education Instructor
Snooze at the Zoo
Description
Sleepover programs give participants a glimpse into what the zoo is like after everyone goes home and the animals settle in for the night. Activities include an animal presentation, a night tour of the zoo, animal activities, and some behind-the-scenes experiences.
My Role
I served as both a lead and a co-instructor for sleepover events. In the evenings, I lead activities such as enrichment making, education animal encounters, night tours, and activities. In the morning, we would team up with education staff and zookeepers for behind-the-scenes experiences.
Introducing guests to a ball python, Monty.
Teen Program Instructor
Description
Henry Vilas Zoo has gone through several iterations of their summer teen program. The goals of the program have always remained the same: provide participants with volunteer opportunities while exposing them to careers in the zoo world.
My Role
While working with the Henry Vilas Zoo teen program, I coordinated activities and supervised the participants while on zoo grounds. My goal was to expose the teen participants to as many career opportunities as I could. Planned activities included: guest speakers, behind-the-scenes experiences, monarch butterfly monitoring, among others.
Teen program participants learn about polymerase chain reaction (PCR).