Visiting the Houston Zoo allows you to see endangered animals up close. When you learn more about these animals vanishing from the wild each year, it’s hard not to want to help. One dedicated group of children from Lee Elementary decided to make their own impact to help the Zoo and endangered animals.
It all started when six third grade students (An, Isaiah, Lillian, Biagio, Vanessa and Kaitlyn) were researching tigers and pandas on the internet. “To me it was random chatter of students who were once again using their wild imaginations to help fulfill a dream that they might accomplish when they were older.” said Kimberly Chapman, third grade teacher at Lee Elementary. But the kids had made up their minds and soon were finding out who might want to help them “save the tigers and pandas.” The Houston Zoo came to their minds and the kids learned the different ways to support the Zoo.
Now that the kids had an idea, they needed to set a goal. They decided to try to raise $3,000, of which $2,500 would go to the Zoo and the rest would go to Lee Elementary’s school library to purchase books about endangered animals. With the permission of their principal, Tonya Goree, the kids began their project. They made posters, hung signs around school, and collected their own money (with a little help from mom and dad) to open the “Animal Shop.”
The Animal Shop was open Tuesdays and Thursdays during recess and offered animal-themed bookmarks, pencils, pens, note pads, whistles and more. The kids also had enough supplies to give each class their own “animal box” for student donations. Teachers showed their support by allowing the kids to explain what they were doing and to come back throughout the week to collect the money. Through it all, the kids never lost sight of their goal. “My favorite thing about running the animal shop fundraiser was having to work with kids and make money,” explained Vanessa.
“Never once did I hear the students worry or complain about how their plan wouldn’t work. They just did what needed to be done and had a goal in mind to accomplish,” said Ms. Chapman. After two weeks, the kids tallied up the money they had raised, which totaled $800! It may not have been the $3,000 goal, but the kids were thrilled with their success. With $100 they each purchased a book on endangered animals to donate to the Lee Elementary school library, and the remaining $700 was given to the Houston Zoo.
The third grade students who had a vision, and made it a reality
The kids along, with Ms. Chapman, visited the Zoo in June to present their donation and see the animals their gift would help to support. Everyone had a different favorite animal to tell us about. The kids also participated in a giraffe feeding and rode the Carousel. When asked why the Zoo is important, An, replied, “because it takes care of animals in the wild.” Lillian, said “it shows us animals we might not see anywhere else.”
Ms. Chapman shared her thoughts with us about the entire fundraiser “I was speechless and so amazed at the hearts of these six students to devote early mornings, some of their lunch time, and their recess to making this a success. I am so proud of these students who took an idea and acted on it. They encouraged a lot of parents, teachers, and students to just believe and support them no matter how young they may be or how hard their idea may have been to come true.”
The Houston Zoo would like to thank the students of Lee Elementary for their hard work and for choosing to support the Zoo with their Animal Shop Fundraiser. Learn more about how you can support the Zoo by visiting our website.
On Sunday, January 15, the Houston Zoo is proud to partner with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra and InterActive Theater Company to present two performances of the children’s classic, Peter and the Wolf. With the intent to “cultivate musical tastes in children from the first years of school,” this beloved story delights and entertains.
“The inspiration for the book came from trying to talk to my own children about chimpanzees,” explained Ross. “The story aims to relate how chimpanzees deserve to be free from these antiquated practices of being dressed up for human amusement. But perhaps just as importantly, it conveys to kids the importance of being yourself and believing in what comes naturally to you.”
