The Zoo Magnet, unlike traditional high schools, offers students exclusive opportunities that extend beyond the conventional classroom. The campus, situated near the L.A. Zoo, is accompanied by the singing of birds, rustling of leaves, and other noises of nature and wildlife.
For over forty years, the Zoo Magnet has partnered with the L.A. Zoo in order to prepare students for a future career in science or animal care fields. It has won awards like the Magnet School of Excellence Award, showcasing its credibility.
As one of the six high schools in the nation that is partnered with a working zoo, the Magnet’s satellite campus is a five-minute walk from the zoo entrance. This proximity gives teachers the unique ability to take their classes to view the animals and botanical gardens for assignments, which puts students in an advantageous position for their education and careers.
The most distinct aspect of the program, the husbandry course, is a course where students learn from zookeepers how to take care of the animals in the zoo. Their tasks include meal preparation and cleaning.
However, zoo kids aren’t just thrown into the hands of the zookeepers; they must first undergo training. They prepare for husbandry in the Zoology class, taught by Ms. Hope at the Zoo campus. Students of this class are training to become certified docents.
Junior Jay Davis-Presas, who is currently taking the zoology class, describes docents as “trained volunteers who educate or guide visitors through the zoo,” and adds that their responsibilities include “teaching, touring, and interacting with guests.” The course also focuses on zoological sciences like animal anatomy, behavior, diet, and evolutionary aspects.
For their final project, Zoology students must exhibit how they can apply their skills in the real world. “We create a short, ten-minute mini-tour activity that we present to someone at the zoo,” junior Dean Pittenger explains. According to Pittenger, the project holds real significance, as there is a possibility that their mini-tour may be implemented at the zoo.
Ms. Hope emphasizes the importance of fostering a strong connection between the Magnet and the L.A. Zoo itself. She aims for a continuation of a partnership that will mutually benefit students and the institution.
Despite the heavy science focus of the Magnet, it’s not just the zoology class that benefits from the placement of the campus. The photography classes at the Magnet take pictures of the lush greenery, the flowing currents of the L.A. River, the biodiverse wildlife and the historical architecture of the Autry Museum and the Old Zoo, all within Griffith Park.
For an assignment last semester, they had to take images of animal and plant life while utilizing tools like the app iNaturalist in order to catalog which animals they’ve photographed.
Their teacher, Mr. Lafortezza, highlights the advantages of the zoo. “We have access to a lot of natural environments around us.” Lafortezza says. The placement of the campus gives students a wider range of photography subjects.
By “identifying native species in the area to focus on ecology,” Lafortezza adds that he can combine natural aspects and art. It gives students a better understanding of science concepts they’re already familiar with, along with the creative skills they’re honing in his class.
Senior photography student, Emily Howard, says her class takes “nature walks all around the school” to capture the natural world in their photography. She believes these walks give her a new perspective for photography. “Mr. Lafortezza gives us different assignments to use our minds in a creative way,” Howard states. She describes how they learn about imaginative photo composition that showcases ingenuity.
Two new electives are coming to the Zoo Magnet next year. The Zoo Magnet counselor, Mr. Crowe, has high hopes for both. The Museum Studies class, which will be taught by Ms. Hope, is set to focus on the analysis of exhibit collections. “It will be a fantastic
class, with a lot of unique field trips,” Mr. Crowe explains. It is a way for students to fulfill their A-G requirements without having to take classes that are uninteresting to them.
The Filmmaking class, Mr. Lafortezza’s course, is centered around interpreting films and creating mini-films. “Filmmaking should be inspiring for potential young filmmakers,” says Mr. Crowe. It is a much more creative class compared to Museum Studies, but many zoo kids have expressed interest in taking the class.
The small size of the Zoo campus doesn’t diminish the big benefits created for students. Through hands-on experience in both scientific and creative fields, the Zoo Magnet allows students to access opportunities rarely found in other high schools, which prepares them for future careers.
