Zoo Academy: Effective Collaboration Between Local School Districts and Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium Creates Unique Opportunities for High School Students

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium has been a strong and active partner in education for over 40 years, educating 1.7 million visitors annually. The zoo has become a leader in both informal and formal education by pioneering many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiatives. In 1996 the zoo moved from being a partner with others to becoming a true collaborator with a diverse group of education institutions. The zoo discovered that a successful partnership requires multiple organizations to come together and share resources for a cause. In partnering with school districts, the zoo offered expertise to help with curriculum development, teacher content-knowledge development, university course teaching, and preK–12 formal education programs. Over the years, the zoo, local school districts, and the community realized they shared common education goals and were working toward creating STEM-rich learning environments for all. This led the organizations and community to turn their partnership into a more collaborative relationship in which everyone was equally involved in creating and implementing STEM-rich education opportunities for students.