SEATTLE - Which animal made this footprint? What type of bird is making that call? What kind of feather is that? Thanks to funding provided by Bank of America, eighth graders from West Valley's Centennial Middle School will take a field trip on Thursday and Friday, October 4-5, to Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. Here, the students will get a glimpse into the real world of a wildlife biologist through Woodland Park Zoo's award-winning outreach program, Wild Wise.

Wild Wise is the zoo's first program that reaches students statewide. It is designed to inspire middle school students to take an active interest in the natural world around them. High-quality video presentation techniques, stunning wildlife imagery projected on a big screen, accompanied by a lively audio track--are utilized to accomplish its goals without the need for animals in the classroom.

"Together, the sound and motion drive home the beauty and power of the wild animals and habitats of Washington state," notes Frank Hein, Wild Wise program coordinator. The Wild Wise team then guides the students through a virtual tour of Washington habitats, presenting an opportunity for them to search for and find new wildlife species and observe their behavior. Students record their observations in field notebooks as they learn how scientists, photographers and artists use math, science, sketching and writing skills in the field. In the process students make exciting discoveries and apply classroom lessons to the real world.

"We also encourage participating schools to augment their classroom lessons with a field component,"adds Hein, "such as visiting scientists engaged in field research or becoming involved in local conservation projects." The field trip to Turnbull, made possible by Bank of America, will provide a real-life field experience for the students as they explore a wetlands habitat and engage in mapping and wildlife identification.
"Bank of America is pleased to once again partner with Woodland Park Zoo to bring the excitement of nature to our state's young people," says John Rindlaub, president, Bank of America Northwest. "One way to meet our commitment to strengthen the communities in which we do business is to support quality educational programs for kids, and Wild Wise is, without a doubt, one of the best programs of its kind in the country."

The innovative program also helps teachers by providing a new and exciting way for them to meet the state's Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs) and environmental guidelines. Two weeks ago, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) honored Woodland Park Zoo's Wild Wise with a Significant Achievement Award in Education. Bank of America, WRQ, Inc., and other corporate and individual donors provide the funds to make this program possible.

With a mission of education and conservation, Woodland Park Zoo serves as a vital resource for tens of thousands of students and teachers across the state each year. To date, Wild Wise has reached more than 15,000 middle school students statewide. The zoo plans to increase its outreach to 10,000 kids every year in communities large and small throughout the state of Washington.