Zoo InternQuest is a seven-week career exploration program for San Diego County high school juniors and seniors. Students have the unique opportunity to meet professionals working for the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, learn about their jobs, and then blog about their experience online. Follow their adventures here on the Zoo’s website!
Hello everyone! My name is Claire, and I am a high school senior who is thrilled to be joining this session of InternQuest. As a native-born San Diegan, some of my oldest and most cherished memories come from the San Diego Zoo. I fondly recall seeing the polar bears swim, witnessing the flamingo’s antics, and flying high in the Skyfari. These early zoo visits helped inspire a love of animals and biology that has grown ever since. Apart from frequent zoo visits, I have fostered this love of biology through the Women in Science club at school, volunteering at the Humane Society’s summer camps, and challenging myself with AP Biology. I have a passion for all things living, and despite my parents’ protests, I am continuously starting new projects. Last year, I grew microgreens in an Aquaponics tank, and this past summer, I planted a milkweed garden to help monarch butterflies in their migration. I also love exploring San Diego’s unique ecosystem through frequent tidepooling and whale watching at Cabrillo.
Another major passion of mine is literature. I value a good book above almost anything else. However, while the challenge of high school has cut into my reading time, I am often assigned brilliant texts for homework in my AP English Literature class. I have seen the way writing can communicate stories and ideas, and I am excited to share some stories from the Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research through this blog. It is fitting that after initially inspiring my love of animals, the Zoo is now helping me discover a potential career path. I can’t wait to bring you, the readers, along on this new adventure.
Claire
Winter Session, 2017
