Dear Supporter,

As the holiday season approaches, we want to express our gratitude to the support you offer us. We would also like to share our holiday wish as we look towards our future role in education here at the Topeka Zoo. Our camps and programs are growing rapidly every year. As we continue to serve the youth in our community, we need additional resources to achieve success.

 

You may be aware that the Topeka Zoo has one of the best camp programs in Northeast Kansas with nationally-recognized educators and STEAM-based curriculum designed to engage, inspire, and empower youth. Year-round, we offer activities for elementary, middle school, and high school-age children that connect them to wildlife and stimulate growth to become transformative leaders. To create a sustainable environment for people to inhabit and species to thrive, we must educate and create that special bond during adolescent years through an engaging learning atmosphere.

 

We know that every child won’t grow up to work in a zoo, but what is crucial is that each child learns how to make positive choices that protect our planet. The next generation is our future. Through these programs, our youth will go on to become environmental advocates and community stewards, making our home and the world a better place for all.

 

Over the past five years, over 110,000 people have participated in our formal education programs. As we continue to grow, our reach must include all of our community’s youth and provide them the education that they deserve. One significant change this year was adding additional weeks of teen summer camp as we recognized it was a need in our community. Made possible through a startup grant from the Women’s Fund and collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club Teen Center, we were able to provide five underserved teens with complete scholarships and needed resources to participate in our teen camp program. We undertook this initiative to further our mission and give that opportunity to deserving families that otherwise could not afford it. We are committed to continuing to provide resources into the underserved areas in our community through unique partnerships.

 

The expenses associated with our education efforts are significant, and we need your help to grant our holiday wish. It takes a village to raise a child, and your support impacts the lives of many. Big or small, every gift matters. YOU make a huge difference.

 

Sincerely,

 

Brendan Wiley

Zoo Director