Contact: Laura Stegman
310/470-6321

Volunteer Opportunities for High School Students and Adult Docents Offered by Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association

Volunteer "Eco Corps" opportunities for high school students as well as volunteer docent opportunities for adults are offered by the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) as part of its Volunteer Programs for the Zoo.  Two information meetings for prospective student volunteers (entering 9th, 10th and 11th grades) take place on Saturday, June 21 or Saturday, July 12, 2008, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.  An information meeting for prospective docents takes place on Saturday, July 26, 10:30 a.m. to noon.  All meetings take place at the Los Angeles Zoo's Witherbee Auditorium.
 
“Volunteers are an essential part of the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, creating a better environment for our animals and our visitors, and we offer comprehensive training,” says Kirin Daugharty, manager of volunteer programs.  “No previous experience is required, just a willingness to learn and a commitment to the welfare of our animals.”
 
More than 750 individuals participate in GLAZA's docent and volunteer programs, many of whom have provided 20 years and more of service.  In 2007, GLAZA docents alone contributed more than 65,000 hours to the Zoo.
 
DOCENT PROGRAM
GLAZA offers a comprehensive program for docents, who serve as volunteer teachers sharing their knowledge of the Zoo and its flora and fauna with adults and children through touring, use of biofact carts, and numerous educational programs and classes.  Docents complete a 23-week training program offered at the Zoo each fall in conjunction with UCLA Extension.  The weekly six-hour Thursday or Saturday classes focus on taxonomy of both the plants and animals at the Zoo as well as ecology and conservation.  Docents duties are as varied as those performing them, and individual opportunities are discussed and developed throughout the training course.  Docents must be 18 years or older when applying and be able to commit 100 hours per year for a minimum of two years.  Applications are accepted through August 30.  Reservations are not required for the July 26 Prospective Docent Information Meeting, but questions may be directed to the Docent Chair at (323) 644-4702 or docents@lazoo.org.   Check-in tables will be set up at the Zoo entrance. 

ECO CORPS (STUDENT VOLUNTEER) PROGRAM
Students entering grades 9, 10, or 11 in the fall are eligible for GLAZA's Student Volunteer Eco Corps program, an academically challenging opportunity to help at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens in a variety of ways ranging from working at special events and Children's Zoo assistance to supporting public education programs.  Eco Corps members complete a 10-week training course to learn about the world's biomes, animal adaptations, conservation, ecology, and education, and they are required to volunteer a minimum of 60 hours per year for two years.  The course is offered on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning in early September.  Applications are accepted through July 12.  Reservations are required for the Prospective Eco-Corps Orientation; please contact the Docent Chair at (323) 644-4702 or docents@lazoo.org.  Applicants must attend one session (June 21 or July 12) for the whole day, which includes a presentation about the program, group activities and interviews.  Check-in tables will be set up at the Zoo entrance. 
 
The Zoo's docent and volunteer programs are among many programs presented by the private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, founded in 1963.  The year 2008 marks more than four decades of GLAZA's success in supporting the Los Angeles Zoo's work as an educational resource for the citizens of Los Angeles, and as an international center for the conservation of endangered wildlife.  GLAZA provides support for Los Angeles Zoo exhibits, conservation, capital projects, education programs, community outreach, research, and more through fund-raising and an endowment, membership, special events and more.  GLAZA currently has 65,000 member households, the second largest non-profit organization membership in Los Angeles.  Many of its nearly 300,000 individual members have sustained their GLAZA support for more than 20 years. 
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is an international leader in the conservation of endangered species and one of the city's major cultural and entertainment resources.

The Los Angeles Zoo is located at 5333 Zoo Drive in Los Angeles' Griffith Park at
the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways.  For
tickets and information, call 323/644-4708.

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