This document describes a volunteer program for teens ages 13-17 called Spring Break ZOOTeen. Teens must fill out an application, get a recommendation, and interview to be accepted. If accepted, they must attend trainings, classes, and fulfill responsibilities like being on time and in uniform. Teens can volunteer at activity tables, with biofacts, goats, guinea pigs, and more. They also do community service, conservation work, enrichment activities, and workshops. Teens earn rewards like tickets, discounts, and behind-the-scenes experiences for their volunteer hours.

1. Spring Break ZOOTeen
Volunteering
By: Natalie Thomsen

2. Requirements
 A volunteer program for 13-17 year olds
 Coming into the Program
 Fill out an application (available January 1st every
year and due in March)
 Get an adult recommendation
 Go to an in person interview
 After Acceptance
 Attend all your trainings
 Attend all your classes
 Keep up on your responsibilities

3. Responsibilities
 Be in uniform
 Be on time
 Be respectful ongrounds
 No texting on shift and other things like that
 Meet Your Hour Requirements
 150-170 hours during the summer to qualify for year
round
 Attend 5 meetings to qualify for year round
 Once Year Round:
 8 hours a month minimum
 attend all but 1 monthly meeting

4. Education
 Activity Tables
 Aquarium
 Arctic
 Aviary
 Conservation
 Elephants
 Tiger
 Wetlands
 Biofacts
 Every animal imaginable
 Rare items
 Skins, bones, skulls used to educate

5. Nature’s Neighborhood
 Goats
 Take care of the 5 goats: Butter, Molly,
Little Doe, Keebler and Rascal
 Educate visitors about the goats
•Stream
•Teach visitors
about conserving
water and natural
ecosystems and
animals while
cooling off in the
water

6. Nature’s Neighborhood
 Fort/Beach
 Teach visitors about natural animal
habitats or make sand castles and
space ships
 Guinea Pigs
 Take care of the 14 guinea pigs
(up to 3 at once): Tootsie, Dora,
Mabel, Agent Speckles, Agent
Blaster, Agent Juarez, Linney,
Pooh, Wilber Sue, Gizmo, Miss
Piggy, Animal, Gonzo, and Kimmy
 Educate visitors about what makes
a good pet and talk about their
own pets

7. Community Service
 Special Education Opportunities
 Josina Lott
 Autism Academy of Learning
 Sunshine Home
 Food Banks/Soup Kitchens
 Food For Thought
 Cherry St. Mission
 1Matters/Tent City
 Food/Clothes Collections
 Battered Women’s Shelters
 ACBC

8. Conservation
 Metroparks
 Invasive Species Removal
 Tree Planting
 Boat Scraping
 Seed Cleaning
 Clean Your Streams
 Earth Day
 Get The Lead Out

9. Extra Work
 Enrichment
 Paper Mache Balloons
 Box Animals
 Animal Birthdays
 Scent Bags
 Treat Tubes
 Animal Holidays
 Behind the Scenes Experiences
 Polar Bear Sand Spreading
 Aquarium Salt Mixing •Summer Camps
 Office Work •Extra Projects
 Cleaning •Cancer Benefits through
 Envelope Stuffing Coupons
•Tornado Relief

10. Workshop Opportunities
 Leadership Classes
 Introduction to Leadership
 Advanced Leadership
 Presentation Skills Workshop
 ZOOTeen level
 Nationally Recognized level
 Resume Writing Workshop
 Education Training Classes

11. Spirit Events
Field Trips
After Meeting
Picnics
Dances

12. “Rewards”
 Tickets
 4 free every year
 1 free every 25 hours you work
 Discounts
 Food
 Merchandise
 Memberships/Tours
 Behind the Scenes
 Tours
 Experiences

13. Real Rewards
 Being around animals
 Bettering the community
 Caring for the environment
 Job/College references
 New friends who become
like a family
 Bettering yourself

14. What I’ve Learned
 Leadership qualities
 Gained best friends who are like my family
 Lifelong job and career experience
 Knowledge about animals and the environment
and tons of other things
 Lots of memories
 Great once in a life time experiences