Putting It All Together - The Showcase

The Showcase is an immersive experience, celebrating the participant journey of planning a zoo. Participants will have prepared and practiced their sales and presentation skills as well as demonstrated their creativity through diverse media. Visitors will be immersed in an experience where they explore which zoos they would like to visit. 

In order to prepare for the Showcase, facilitators will guide participants through a series of lessons throughout the project timeline.

Alongside the participant’s preparation, the Showcase itself will also need to be planned and coordinated. Depending on the level of involvement desired for participants, choose from the following options:

OPTION 1: Facilitators Plan and Coordinate Showcase

* Recommended for shortened versions of the project

In this option, facilitators should plan ahead to:

• Reserve a space for the Showcase

• Communicate the date and time of the Showcase to all participants

• Create a layout of where all participants will display their zoo

• Invite the community to participate in the process as guest speakers, judges and providers of feedback, and at the very least, as invited guests to the Showcase

  • School/Program Community: To celebrate participant learning and build connections within the school/program

    • Other after-school facilitators, classroom teachers, school administrators, counselors, librarians, campus supervisors, district staff, etc.

  • Participants & Youth Voices: Builds peer inspiration and positions participants as zoo designers and experts

    • Participants from other schools, community participant leadership groups

  • Families & Caregivers: Increases participant pride and ownership while giving families opportunities to see the depth of learning beyond traditional assignments

    • Parents/guardians, siblings, extended family

  • Community Members & Local Partners: For participants understand how zoos connect with the broader community

    • Local businesses, animal organizations, shelters, pet stores, veterinarians, animal trainers, nature centers, museums, conservation organizations, etc.

  • Animal & Wildlife Professionals: Makes animal care and conservation careers feel real and accessible

    • Zookeepers, veterinarians, wildlife biologists, animal behaviorists, conservationists, zoo educations/zoologists, animal care staff

  • Other Industry & Career Connections (Optional): Connects the project to future careers and pathways

    • Architects, exhibit designers, landscape designers, engineers, educators, graphic designers, event planners, entrepreneurs, etc. 

• Organize timeline of set up, Showcase, and cleanup and communicate to participants/other facilitators 

• Prepare Showcase materials such as display tables, name cards/poster boards, zoo maps, feedback forms, etc.

• EXTRA! Utilize the connections above to arrange a field trip where participants can see how a zoo operates, learn about animal care, or explore careers in wildlife, conservation, and zoo management.

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OPTION 2: Facilitators Work with Participants to Plan and Coordinate Showcase

* Recommended for maximizing the involvement and learning of the participants

In this option, facilitators intentionally share planning responsibilities with participants. The level of participant leadership increases by grade band, while facilitators remain responsible for safety, approvals, timelines, and final execution.

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