May 5, 2008

Zoo receives $72,000 grant from Washington State’s No Child Left Inside program - Funding to support zoo’s new outdoor learning program for underserved youth

Media Contact:
Gigi Allianic, Rebecca Whitham
206.548.2550
woodlandparkzoopr@zoo.org

SEATTLE - This upcoming school year, 600 King County students will have the chance to engage in outdoor learning thanks to a generous grant recently awarded to Woodland Park Zoo by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Part of the $1.5 million No Child Left Inside environmental education program established by 2007 Washington State Legislature, the $72,000 grant awarded to the zoo will help fund an innovative program called “Ready, Set, Discover.” Building upon Woodland Park Zoo’s successful Teacher Training, “Wild Wise” classroom outreach, and on-site “Nature Exchange” education programs, “Ready, Set, Discover” will break down barriers to outdoor access for underserved youth throughout King County. The program will serve primarily fourth through sixth grade students, as well as English language learners, in partnership with local schools and nearby city and state parks.

“ Ready, Set, Discover” aims to increase students’ understanding and appreciation of wildlife and their confidence in outdoor skills, promoting a life-long connection with nature. The year-long program begins with a professional development workshop where teachers will learn how to incorporate outdoor activity into classroom curriculum in order to meet Washington State science learning benchmarks. “Ready, Set, Discover” will give students the opportunity to practice in natural settings critical science skills essential to their overall classroom performance.

“ Taking science outside of the classroom with hands-on learning and innovative, inquiry-based projects allows students to see how nature and science are part of their every day lives,” said Stephanie Stowell, Woodland Park Zoo Director of Education. “We hope the program will give students the scientific knowledge and the outdoor confidence they need to become the environmental stewards and leaders of the next generation.”

Naturalists from the zoo’s “Wild Wise” program will visit participating classes to engage students in an interactive exploration of the skills scientists use to learn about wildlife. Students will then have the opportunity to practice their new skills outdoors with a field trip to a participating local or state park. There they will explore their surroundings through healthy outdoor activities such as bird watching, rock collecting, orienteering, photography, nature journaling and responsible nature collecting for use in the zoo’s popular “Nature Exchange” program. Each class will be supplied with a field kit including binoculars, plant presses and field guides. Later, students will visit Woodland Park Zoo where they will explore zoo grounds with a naturalist to practice observing animals and identifying rocks and plants.

“‘ Ready, Set, Discover’ will fulfill a critical need for teacher training to connect today’s urban classrooms with nature,” said Deborah Jensen, President and CEO of Woodland Park Zoo. “This grant enables the zoo to continue our long history of teacher support in Washington State.”

About No Child Left Inside:
Administered by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the competitive No Child Left Inside grant program received a total of 238 grant applications in its inaugural year, totaling almost $8.7 million in requests. Woodland Park Zoo is one of only 25 organizations selected to receive an award for 2008.

“ Washington is one of the first states in the nation to have its Legislature establish and fund a youth outdoor recreation grant program like this one. This puts Washington on the cutting edge of the national conversation going on right now about how essential it is that we provide a connection to nature for young people, for their own well-being and for the future health of our environment,” said Rex Derr, Washington State Parks director.

About Woodland Park Zoo:
Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, award-winning Woodland Park Zoo serves as a vital resource for tens of thousands of students and teachers across Washington State each year. The Education Department offers an array of activities to teach valuable lessons about local and global conservation issues, including zoo-based school programs, public programs and classes for all ages, day camps, teacher workshops and a zoowide volunteer program.

These programs are developed with today’s education requirements in mind and are closely connected to Washington’s Essential Academic Learning Requirements and the Environmental Education Goals and Guidelines for Washington Schools.

Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), award-winning Woodland Park Zoo is famed for pioneering naturalistic exhibits and setting international standards for zoos all over the world. Conservation, education and excellent animal care are at the core of the zoo’s mission. The zoo is helping to save animals and their habitats in Washington state and around the world including tree kangaroos, snow leopards, red-crowned cranes, African wild dogs, western pond turtles and Oregon silverspot butterflies. By inspiring people to care and act, Woodland Park Zoo is making a difference in our planet’s future.