Shawnee High School's SAGE program visited the Oklahoma City Zoo to take part in their educational courses. SAGE, which stands for Shawnee Advanced Gifted Education, promotes opportunities in leadership, academics, and the arts. The OKC Zoo offers two educational courses for high school students: Animal SOS, which covers information about animal advocacy and conservation, and Zoo Design, which exposes students to the engineering, design, and financial aspects of running a zoo.
Senior Ashley McDonald attended the Animal SOS course and found herself moved by what she could personally do to help endangered animals. "The Animal SOS class was amazing! They taught us about how animals in our community and across the world are affected by our everyday actions, such as not picking up litter or not recycling. I loved learning how I can take action against the extinction of species across the globe, such as planting native flowers for monarchs, making sure that the products I purchase are not made with palm oil to protect the tropical rainforest, or to report invasive species (plants and animals) to authorities so they do not destroy the ecosystem."
In the Zoo Design course, the students were split into three groups and challenged to create their own zoos with the "money" they were given. The groups debated what to spend their money on: restrooms, concession areas, playgrounds, animal exhibits. Junior Kiley Sartin, who acted as the accountant for her group, said, "I learned about the design process and upkeep of a zoo, and I learned about the cooperation and competition between zoos. When we were able to explore the zoo after the class, it was really cool to see exactly what we had talked about in class; it put visiting the zoo in a new light, and it made me appreciate the entire experience more."
"One of my goals with SAGE is to let students experience their favorite subjects and their interests out in the world as real life jobs," explained SAGE coordinator Linsey Brown. "The zoo courses were perfect for that. We had a student with us who is an incredible artist, and by the end of the zoo design lesson, he was talking about what he would do with his own zoo if he was in charge. It was a very cool experience."
The trip to the Oklahoma City Zoo provided SAGE students with a hands-on learning experience that connected their academic interests with real-world applications. From conservation efforts to financial decision-making, students gained valuable insight into fields they may pursue in the future. By engaging in these interactive courses, they not only expanded their knowledge but also left inspired to take action in their own communities.
Through programs like SAGE, Shawnee Public Schools continues to provide students with unique learning opportunities that go beyond traditional classroom instruction. These experiences empower students to explore their passions, develop leadership skills, and discover potential career paths in dynamic and engaging ways.