Teen Volunteers Needed

2010 Butterfly Pavilion Zoo Assistant Program (ZAP) - currently not accepting applications.

Do you love insects, spiders or plants? Do you enjoy learning new things? Would you enjoy sharing your knowledge with others? For the summer of 2010, the Butterfly Pavilion is seeking interested teens to assist with Pavilion happenings. Teens must be willing to learn about our invertebrates or plants, and to interact in a fun and outgoing way with visiting children and adults. All necessary training will be provided.
 

Possible positions include:

• Summer Camp Assistant – Help with a week or more of our children’s summer camp including assisting with bug catching, crafts, games and other activities with our campers. Teen must be available for at least 1 full week from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm. We offer 8 camps throughout the summer.

• Discovery Garden Assistant – Help us care for our discovery gardens by planting, weeding, watering and deadheading side-by-side with our horticultural staff. Opportunity includes helping with our native bug survey to discover what bugs are using our plants in the garden! Commitment would be at least once a week in the morning for 2 hours.

• Butterfly Specialist – Discover & share our world of tropical butterflies with our visitors, answer questions, collect butterfly eggs and much more. Volunteer must be willing to learn about tropical butterflies and share your knowledge in an informal way with our visitors. Commitment would be at least 1-2 times/week for 2 hours.

• Tide Pool Specialist – Share your love of the ocean & its tide pool inhabitants with our visiting adults & children. Learn about and work with our fascinating sea creatures from sea stars to horseshoe crabs. Commitment would be at least 1-2 times/week for 2 hours.

 Zap Requirements:

• Ages: 13-15 (if you are 16 or older, please apply to our adult volunteer program).
• Commitment: at least 50 total summer hours in June-August, with a regular weekly schedule.
• Interests: Your interests should include butterflies & other insects, spiders, ocean invertebrates or plants. You should also be willing to learn about invertebrates and plants, and share your knowledge with others. A teen can participate in one or several positions, depending on their interests, abilities and availability.
• Application & Interview: Complete teen application is due by May 1, 2010. Interviews will be scheduled during the month of May. Please note, all applicants will be evaluated and the most qualified candidates will be chosen, limited to 15 teens.
• Training: Required ZAP teen training is two days, Tuesday June 8 & Thursday June 10, from 2-5 p.m. One-on-one shadowing with staff and volunteers will add practical experience to your training.