“This partnership allows us to create more meaningful and memorable experiences for our Upper School students. Not only are our students learning about science, but they are also afforded an opportunity to practice science in an authentic setting.”
k Christine Song and Chloe Casturo-Burnette
with LEOZCC’s Rothschild’s giraffes, one of the most endangered giraffe subspecies
m Laura Bautista-Borrero, LEOZCC founder Marcella Leone
carrying a white-handed gibbon, and Wellsley Lowther
preserve, credits this successful birth, as well as many others over the years, to its tranquil, low-stress setting where the animals are well fed, well nurtured, and mentally stimulated each day. In discussing Group III’s capstone experience in the study of vertebrates, Lower School science faculty Doug Rendell noted, “The students were able to see many of the adaptations they had studied, displayed in the animals they observed, helping them further understand the similarities and differences between different types of vertebrates. The experience also fostered their appreciation for all wild animals and their delicate ecosystems, empowering the next generation to continue the amazing conservation efforts already in place at LEOZCC.”
The inaugural project between the LEOZCC and the Upper School STEM Interest Group was launched this fall. Students are tackling the foundations of conservation biology, especially zoo-based conservation, while developing independent research projects with the center. Dr. Charles Alt, Upper School biology teacher and assistant director of the Duff Centers for STEM Initiatives, said, “This partnership allows us to create more meaningful and memorable experiences for our Upper School students. Not only are our students learning about science, but they are also afforded an opportunity to practice science in an authentic setting. These sorts of experiences are the future of science education, and I consider myself fortunate to be given this opportunity to engage in conservation biology alongside the outstanding professionals at the LEO Zoological Conservation Center.” Dr. Ann Decker, director of the Duff Center, agreed: “The LEOZCC partnership gives our girls firsthand experience working with an outstanding organization dedicated to conservation. This is an opportunity for our students to work collaboratively on real-world problems, learn about conservation by actually engaging in the work of conservationists, and make a difference in a cause they care deeply about.” As one Group III student summed up her class’ expedition to LEOZCC, “I think when I grow up I am going to work there. My favorite animal is the orangutan, which is just like us in so many ways!” GA
To learn more about the LEO Zoological Conservation Center and sign up for their newsletter, visit www.leozcc.org
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