Zoo Crew Information

The Zoo Crew program is committed to providing a meaningful and educational experience for teenagers, ages 12-14 who are seeking the opportunity to develop their leadership skills through work and promotion of the program mission of conservation, education and recreation.

Zoo Crew members work in various areas around the Zoo throughout the summer months with a variety of activities. Some duties might include: helping with animal care in the Loft, Big Back Yard, Goat Yard, assisting with summer camp, interacting with the public about conservation and animals, face painting with kids, making conservation buttons, exploring the natural world, nature walks, and helping with special events.

Each Zoo Crew member will log hours throughout the summer and they will be recorded and acknowledged with a certificate at the end of the summer. Scheduled slots will be posted online and each family with have flexibility on when teens work as long as they meet the requirement of 120 hours within the 11 week program.

Entering the Zoo:

To enter the Zoo during regular hours of operation, let the Guest Services staff in the Ticket/Admissions Office at the front of the Zoo know that you are a Zoo Crew by showing them your name tag and wearing your t-shirt. If you come before the gates open at 9am, then you need to wait until someone with keys comes to let you in, and you must have prior approval from the Teen Program Supervisor to enter the Zoo outside of operating Zoo hours (9am-5pm). DO NOT push, climb, or squeeze through the gate for any reason, this could result in dismissal from the program.

1. 1. You are now an official representative of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! This means you should be positive AND professional at all times when you are at the Zoo.

   2. Always show respect - for animals (Zoo and wildlife), our environment, guests, peers, staff, volunteers, docents, etc. Show respect for the material property of others.

   3. Be willing to help with whatever is asked of you; try to get to a project before you have to be asked. You can always choose the attitude you have about what you do even if you can’t choose exactly what you’re doing, help will always be given at the Zoo to those who ask for it.

   4. Be patient- not everything is fun all of the time, and there are a lot of teenagers that participate in the program. Please be patient with your peers, staff, supervisors, teen leaders, keepers, etc. Everyone wants to help, but it may take time.

   5. Be discrete regarding information you learn while working at the Zoo. If you aren’t sure what information you can share in regards to the Zoo family, please check with the Teen Program Supervisor.

   6. Be dependable and communicative, stick to your schedule and let the Teen Program Supervisor know if you cannot make it to your shift (calling information below)

   7. Sometimes things change, be flexible – your schedule could change throughout the day, just know that we need your help and want to make each day as fun as possible.

   8. Engage with Zoo guests in conversations and try to answer their questions. –If you don’t know an answer to a question, say “I don’t know, but I’ll try and find out.” Than do your best to find someone who knows the answer. By the end of the summer you will have learned so much!

   9. Use appropriate language and behavior, there are ears everywhere- so be mindful of how you are conducting yourself.

   10. Working at a Zoo is hard, so be prepared to work in a variety of areas and in different weather conditions. Bring your water bottle, keep it full and remember to wear Sunscreen. Whenever you need a break from physical work just let a supervisor know!

   11. Work cooperatively with other teen in the program, all Zoo Staff, guests, volunteers, and docents. We all work together as a team, so let’s help each other out!

   12. Be a true Zoo steward by helping keep the grounds clean- picking up trash whenever possible, opening doors for guests, and helping guide guests who need directions. – It’s everyone’s responsibility and that includes you!

Have fun! This summer will be lots of hard work and long days, but it will be lots of fun too!

Loft Mission

Our mission in the Loft is to help instill a lifelong love of nature and animals by offering guests a hands-on experience with our animal ambassadors.

What does this mean to me?

In the Loft, your job is to help instill a love of our animals and the Zoo in our guests by engaging them in conversation, guiding them in helping with husbandry tasks, and introducing them to our animal ambassadors. You will also assist staff in other chores and projects as assigned.

Daily Tasks

As you work in the Loft you will be trained on various husbandry tasks and animal handling protocols. There is a minimum of three steps to the sign-off process. In the first step, you will Learn It. Loft staff will demonstrate what to do, and you will go through it once on your own. The second step is Practice It. During this step you will go through the process on your own with a trained person there to answer questions and help if needed. If you are unsure of anything, you can repeat this step as often as you need to feel comfortable moving on. The final sign-off is Excel At It. You will get this sign-off when you have shown that you know this task well enough to complete it fully and properly on your own and without staff asking you to do so.

For Zoo Crew, husbandry and interpretation tasks are separated in tiers and organized in a way that allows for completing a tier as quickly as possible, and by grouping like tasks together. Once an entire tier is complete (through the Excel At It column), you will be rewarded with a Sign-Off incentive. These incentives are to be done in order by animal group and an entire animal group must be completed before you learn the next.

JZKs do not have tiers to complete, but they do have a three step process to get signed-off on husbandry and interpretation tasks. JZKs also have a list of animals on their sheets to get signed off on handling as they progress in The Loft.

Checklists

We also have a Daily Husbandry Checklist and a Daily Cleaning Checklist that will help you know what to do and what tasks are completed already. The Husbandry Checklist has every animal listed that we care for in the Loft with spaces for all tasks that need to be completed for that animal during the day (ex: feeding, changing water, misting, providing enrichment, etc.) You will be trained on how to complete these tasks properly. The Cleaning Checklist has chores and cleaning tasks that need to be done in the AM and PM as well as weekly chores. Along with learning husbandry tasks, you will also be trained on how to perform daily cleaning chores.

Expectations

Expectations for our Teen Participants

We expect that you will…

• Show up and be on time for your shifts. If you cannot make it for your shift, then we expect that you call let us know as you were directed by the teen program staff.

• Be Zoo Crisp at all times complete with a tucked in uniform shirt and name tag. No jeans! Comfortable, durable and closed-toed shoes are a must.

• Follow instructions completely and to the best of your ability.

• RESPECT all others in the Loft. This includes Loft Staff, Docents, Adult Volunteers, Guests AND other Teen Participants. Yes, this means no water sprayer fights!

• Use your resources. We have taken a lot of time to give you the information you need to be successful in your role in the Loft. This includes lots of binders and checklists to tell you what needs to be done and how.

• Not stand around and socialize with your peers. There are plenty of opportunities to have fun and chat and get the work accomplished.

• Ask questions! Please do not hesitate to ask questions if you cannot find the answer to your question elsewhere.

• Not interrupt when ANYONE is talking to a guest or when a keeper is doing a training session with an animal.

• Keep up to date with your sign-offs and make sure staff signs off on tasks you completed for the day. Otherwise you may have to re-do them next time!

• Have fun and enjoy your Loft experience. You will get out of this what you put into it!

What You Can Expect from Loft Staff

You can expect that we will…

• Show you around the Loft and introduce you to what we do here on your first day.

• Make a sign-off sheet for you and show you how to progress through it.

• Show you the resources available to you in The Loft and how to use them to succeed.

• Give you the benefit of the doubt if you make a mistake.

• Expect you to own up to and correct your mistakes.

• You can expect that we will make mistakes too!

• Be here as a resource to you during your time in The Loft and be happy to answer any questions you have.

• Greet you with a smile in the morning, and create a safe and positive working environment for everyone. J

What You Can Expect From Adult Volunteers, Docents, JZKs, and other Zoo Crew

You can expect that they will…

• Be in the Loft during your shifts completing tasks similar to what you will be doing.

• Sometimes be doing different tasks than what you will be doing.

• Respect and mentor you.

• You can expect that Loft Staff will sometimes ask them to train you on new tasks, or ask you to help train them on new tasks.

What You Can Expect to Learn From Your Loft Experience

You can expect to learn…

Basic cleaning skills (dishes, mopping, sweeping, etc).

• Basic husbandry skills (changing water, preparing food and feeding, misting enclosures, enrichment, etc).

• How to successfully interact and engage guests in various situations

• Basic job skills and responsibilities (punctuality, responsibility, accountability, etc).

• Basic animal handling skills.

• To work and cooperate with your peers and superiors towards a common goal.

• You can expect to be a part of an inspiring, positive, and engaging environment.

Keys to Success – tips to help you succeed in the Loft

1. Take every opportunity to get a guest involved! Kids will help you do any gross job, and adults are excited to learn even if they don’t want to ask. If you don’t have everything ready for a task, that’s OK. They can help you get ready! Please don’t ignore them if the timing is not perfect, it will most likely NEVER be perfect and they will leave before you are ready.

2. Don’t touch any animal until you are trained on them. If the animal is in the way, skip them or ask someone who is signed-off to move them.

3. Use your resources. Use the binders to answer your questions. You can also ask the Day Captain or other teens for help.

4. Ask questions! We are all here because we love to be here and we want everyone to get the most out of the experience and love every minute of it!

5. Stay Busy! There is always something to be done!!! When in doubt, clean something, talk to the guests, or check the lists for direction.

6. Clean up after yourself.

7. Show initiative! You will not EXCEL AT a task unless you can complete it fully and properly without prompting.

8. No whining! There are not-so-fun things about everything in life. A positive attitude will take you farther than a negative one.

9. Don’t interrupt when someone is talking to a guest or training an animal. We will happily answer any question or help you, just give us a second.

10. Be aware of how you are talking about/to the animals. Don’t baby talk them, be aware of the language you use when referring them, say touch instead of pet, and be cautious of over-sharing any medical or past information of our animals with guests too.

11. Keep the sinks tidy. Clear out clean items and return them to their proper location, especially before you start cleaning a dirty item! Sweep up any debris that has collected in the bottom and near the drain.

12. Don’t put wet laundry in the dirty clothes bin. Let them dry first. On the same note, if there are dry towels hanging up, then put them in the dirty laundry bin. Do not stack wet items on top of dry ones!

Animal Handling: 101

As you start completing tiers on your sign-off sheet, you will be rewarded with Sign-Off Incentives that include handling some of our animals. Before you get your hands on any of our animals you will read over our handling protocols and sign that you understand and will follow our rules and guidelines while handling the animals. This protocol is located in our Animal Handling Binder, as well as the sheet to sign your acknowledgement. This section will reiterate some important rules and regulations and highlight some important things to know as a Teen Participant.

Sign-Off Incentives for Zoo Crew

Zoo Crew will learn how to handle the large tortoises as part of the general loft experience. As you complete the husbandry tiers you will be rewarded with further animal handling (see the back of your sheet for specifics). You must complete the sign-offs you have already started before you move on to the next sign off. Animal handling has the same three step process as the husbandry list. You earn a final sign-off, when you have practiced enough to handle that animal correctly and safely and follow all the steps involved in that process. This includes knowing where your resources are to find information about that animal, properly pack the animal up, know signs of stress and where that animal can and can’t go in The Loft, etc. Handling animals is a privilege, a responsibility, and should be treated as an honor. Please take all the time you need to feel comfortable with the animals and handle them properly! Some Zoo Crew have excelled at every tier and task in the Loft and have completed final sign-offs for all the Sign-off Incentives. When this happens you can apply to be a Zoo Crew Mentor. This opens up more handling and training opportunities. If this is something you would be interested in, show us how responsible, motivated, and willing you are to learn and excel in the Loft!

Sign-off Sheet for JZK

The Junior Zookeepers have a different sign-off sheet than our Zoo Crew. JZK’s are entrusted with a few more tasks and are able to get signed off on handling more animals than our younger teens. You will follow all the same steps as outlined above for the zoo crew. Unlike Zoo Crew, JZK’s do not have a tier structure. Typically after a JZK has worked in the Loft about 40 hours (or a couple weeks) they start working through animal handling. Just as with Zoo Crew, if JZK’s have excelled on all the animals and tasks on their sheet they can move to some of the other animals that are on higher tiers. This is a privilege that must be earned!

Guest Interaction Guide: 101

The biggest part of your job in The Loft will be interacting with our guests! We attract a wide range of ages. Our guests can be anywhere between 1 to 90 years old. If you find you are struggling with one or more age groups, reference the Fact Binder to give you some hints on how to meet them on their level.

STATIONS for Exploration, Conservation, and Education: Engaging guests in different activities, games, and presentations focusing on Conservation and Education. Throughout the Zoo the teens will have ‘stations’ that they will rotate around to during the day, these stations are great ways to interact with guests and gain public speaking and interpretive skills.

The Goat yard is home to a small tribe of domestic goats. The goat yard is heavily populated with guests and engages Zoo Crew in public speaking with our guests. The goat yard is a great introduction into animal care and husbandry. You can expect to clean every day, multiple time a day and help with basic goat husbandry. This area gets very warm in the summer time, please make sure to bring a hat, sunscreen, and lots of water.

Update: We will not have teens in Kindergarten Camp groups until further notice

For kids of all ages, CMZ's School Break Camps offer unique, hands-on opportunities to play, explore and learn about the natural world and the animal kingdom. It is here where Zoo Crew can strengthen their leadership and mentoring experience. Working with learners aged K - 4th grade, Zoo Crew teens will assist Camp Mentors in planning and implementing educational activities throughout the day. Camps are a great introduction to the educational side of zoo's and wildlife programs. CMZ's camps run during winter break, spring break and the entirety of the summer season, Monday-Friday. Because camps work and move throughout the entire zoo grounds and throughout a variety of seasons, teens must come prepared with appropriate clothing and gear for all types of weather.

We focus on being as flexible as possible with teen scheduling. We use an online website Sign Up Genius to coordinate all schedules for teens. This makes it possible for families to sit down at home and choose the dates their teen can be at the Zoo. You have the capability to add, edit, and delete shifts from your home using this online system.

Here are a few pointers for scheduling:

• Teens are encouraged to work 120 hours over the Summer season

• You will be sent a link to your online sign up where you can see all available shifts

• Sign ups will lock 24 hours prior to the shift which doesn't allow for changes without a Teen Program staff approval

It is very important that you coordinate your schedule with the Teen Program Supervisor if there are any changes in the schedule that you have previously signed up for, those requests need to be made in writing or in person and given to the Teen Program Supervisor. All scheduling will be done through Sign Up Genius (www.signupgenius.com) and it is YOUR responsibility to show up for your selected shifts. If you do not show up for a shift and you have not let the Teen Program Supervisor know it will result in a written NO CALL NO SHOW form. Once you receive two of these forms you will be removed from the schedule for two weeks.

Sign in and Sign Out Procedure:

Each morning the Zoo Crew will have a short meeting on the education patio or in the Nest to get daily announcements, updates and schedules; then Zoo Crew members should report immediately to their station/area. In the afternoon, members will regroup after all duties are complete and after properly signing out they are free to go. All teens should be picked up at the scheduled time indicated unless prior arrangements have been made with the Teen Program Supervisor. It is important that Zoo Crew members are prompt on their arrival and departure.

If You Cannot Make it to Your Assigned Shift:

We understand that from time to time there may be unforeseen circumstances, such as illness, accidents or other emergencies and you are not able to make a shift. If this happens, please call 719-424-7822 and notify the Teen Program Supervisor. Main Zoo Line: 719-424-7822. Please be sure to leave your name and what area you were signed up for.

Hours:

The Teen Program staff will record all hours the teens have worked each month. The teens are responsible for recording their day to day hours. At the end of the season we will have certificates available for all teens who wish to display their total hours worked on a signed certificate.

At Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, personal appearance, hygiene, and attire are important. The dress standard should remain “Zoo Crisp” or “Zoofficial” at all times, this look is defined as:

• Clean, good quality garments, pressed or wrinkle-free

• Zoo Crew shirts tucked in at all times

• Well-maintained, closed toe footwear (flip-flops are not acceptable)

• You must have natural hair colors (Not necessarily your natural color but a color that could be found on people naturally, i.e. not pink, blue, or purple)

• Pull long hair back when working in any animal area

• Must wear name tag and Zoo Crew shirt at all times while working

• Khaki, brown or hunter green pants, capris or shorts are required. Shorts must be past your fingertips when you lay your hands at your side, no exceptions. No blue jeans!

• No facial rings, hoops or metal studs are permissible; very small studs can be approved through the Teen Programs Supervisor.

• Jewelry for oral piercings must be very small, clear or flesh colored, and in compliance with the Zoo Crisp Casual standard; otherwise, they should be removed while you are at the Zoo in uniform.

Purchasing Extra Shirts:

After the orientation season and everyone has received their first shirt you can purchase as many as you'd like. If we do not have your size in stock we will order it and it usually takes about 10-14 days. You can purchase more t-shirts at any point through out the program. Each shirt is $10, unfortunately at this time we can only collect this payment in cash or check. Please make checks out to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Teens Program Fees - Summer

All fees includes one t-shirt, name tag and reusable beverage cup, as well as daily supervision, program supplies and materials, keeper talks and tours, special afternoon workshops, orientation, end of summer party and more!

Zoo Crew Explorer price per teen (ages 12-14):

$600.75 for our 3-month summer session, plus 1-month of training

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Teens Program Fees - Off Season

All fees includes one t-shirt, name tag and reusable beverage cup, as well as daily supervision, program supplies and materials, keeper talks and tours, special workshops, orientation, and more!

All Teens (Zoo Crew, Teen Core, Junior Zoo Keepers) price per teen:

$300.75 for our 3-month summer session (Fall, Winter, Spring)

Note: 75¢ from each Teen Program Registration goes to Quarters for Conservation, which expands Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s regional and global conservation efforts.