Keystrokes By Kimberly
Program will provide a week of Safari Camp for 60 underprivileged children
ATLANTA – April 10, 2018 – For the third year in a row, Zoo Atlanta will broaden community access to its signature summer day camp opportunity with the Safari Camp Scholarship Program presented by Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority. Through the program, 60 children ages 5 to 11 from Title I Schools in the City of Atlanta and Fulton County will enjoy a week of Safari Camp.
“At a time when connections between people and nature are more fragile than ever before, the lifelong benefits of early-life experiences at the Zoo can’t be overstated. It is very important to us that financial constraints not prevent children from having experiences that could be formative events for the next generation of wildlife advocates, conservationists and scientists,” said Raymond B. King, President and CEO. “We are very grateful to our partners at Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority for their commitment to and investment in our community.”
The scholarships will provide Camp tuition for a weeklong session, lunch, snacks, a Safari Camp T-shirt and an extended care option. To qualify, children must be current residents of the City of Atlanta or Fulton County, must attend a Title I School, and must qualify for the free or reduced lunch program at school.
Parents or guardians interested in applying should submit a completed application, available now at zooatlanta.org/scholarship. Applications must be accompanied by a letter of need from the guardian and a letter of interest from the child. Materials may be submitted via email to education@zooatlanta.org or via regular mail to Zoo Atlanta Education Reservations; 800 Cherokee Avenue, S.E.; Atlanta, Georgia 30315. Applications are due by 5:30 p.m. on May 7, 2018, and will be reviewed and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Awardees will be notified by May 21, 2018.
Zoo Atlanta is a vital resource for both formal and informal education in Georgia, serving nearly 110,000 students and more than 138,400 program participants in 2017. Programs include but are not limited to Safari Camp during school breaks year-round; inquiry based classroom programs and field trips; Homeschool Academy; ZooMobile outreach; and, new in 2018, Nature Play Club and Bird Watch.
Safari Camp: Summer Session begins May 29 and runs weekly through August 3, 2018. The program offers an immersive experience that builds lasting connections between campers and the natural world with Zoo tours, science-based explorations, animal encounters, educational games and more. Themes change weekly and are designed and structured by age group for 4-year-olds to 14-year-olds. To learn more about Safari Camp and other education programs at Zoo Atlanta, visit zooatlanta.org.
About Zoo Atlanta
Viewed as one of the finest zoological institutions in the U.S. and a proud accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Zoo Atlanta has a mission to inspire value and preservation of wildlife through a unique mix of education and outdoor family experiences. From well-known native wildlife to critically endangered species on the brink of extinction, the Zoo offers memorable close encounters with more than 1,000 animals from around the world. Zoo highlights include giant pandas, including Ya Lun and Xi Lun, a set of twins born to Lun Lun on September 3, 2016; one of North America’s largest zoological populations of great apes; and a global center of excellence for the care and study of reptiles and amphibians. Scaly Slimy Spectacular: The Amphibian and Reptile Experience, featuring more than 70 species in a 111,000 square-foot complex, is the world’s first LEED Gold-certified reptile and amphibian exhibit. The Zoo’s newest experience, Treetop Trail presented by Kaiser Permanente, opened in March 2017. Up-close-and-personal animal experiences include behind-the-scenes Wild Encounters with African elephants, African lions, Aldabra giant tortoises, giant pandas and lemurs. Zoo Atlanta is open year-round with the exceptions of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Keeper talks, interactive wildlife presentations, education programs and special events run year-round. For more information, visit zooatlanta.org.
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