Above: EAST students from Sulphur Rock Magnet School pose with Conservation Education Manager Jessica Deavult (left) and Lead Ambassador Animal Keeper LeeAnn Goette (right) from the Little Rock Zoo.
The Little Rock Zoo has invited an elementary school’s EAST program to participate in “Project Zoo.”
Sulphur Rock Elementary School’s EAST program was one of nine selected statewide to collaborate with the zoo on real-world challenges in conservation and education, while also enhancing the zoo’s environment, according to a news release from EAST and the Little Rock Zoo.
Launched during the 2019-20 school year, Project Zoo has provided hands-on learning experiences, with dozens of student projects benefiting the zoo and its animals, the release said.
The initiative includes various projects, from designing anesthesia masks for animals to creating interactive, 3D-printed biofacts for visitors. Several projects have already been implemented by the zoo.
Projects that Sulphur Rock Elementary students worked on included reptile refuge areas, 3D biofacts on the King Komodo dragon, and penguin nesting boxes.
Fred Rickert, program coordinator for special projects at EAST, collaborates with the zoo’s Prostell Thomas and Jessica Deavult to expand the initiative.
“The Little Rock Zoo has been an invaluable partner to our EAST programs statewide,” Rickert said. “Project Zoo is a unique collaboration between an organization with complex needs and EAST students who develop critical skills through problem-solving. This initiative is open to all EAST programs, not just those in central Arkansas, and we are deeply grateful to the Little Rock Zoo for providing this remarkable learning opportunity.”
Deavult, the zoo’s conservation education manager, praised students for their flexibility in adjusting designs based on feedback from zoo staff.
“I was especially impressed by students’ openness to feedback and their flexibility in making real-time design adjustments,” Deavult said. “Since initial information can sometimes be limited, modifications are often needed to ensure animal safety and usability. Zoo staff provided valuable input, helping students refine their projects to achieve the best possible outcomes.”
EAST is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Little Rock. Greenbrier High School first offered EAST in 1996, and the program is now available in more than 250 schools across three states.
For more information on EAST, click here.
Image provided by the EAST Initiative
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