Zoo animals visit GHAPS Open Door children

Tue, Jul 15, 2008

Children in Grand Haven Area Public School's summer Open Door child care program received a visit from zoo animals on Monday.

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Ashley Demetris, a seasonal employee at Grand Rapids' John Ball Park Zoo, took four live animals — a parrot, ferret, scorpion and blue-tongued skink (similar to a lizard) — plus a host of animal artifacts to the children at Central School. She spent close to an hour teaching the children about each animal, and even let them touch the ferret and the skink.

"Hopefully, I want them to be able to learn at least one new thing about each animal that they didn't know before," said Demetris, who teaches in Zeeland during the school year. "And maybe I'll spark some interest in a few of them who might want to do more with animals when they grow up."

Open Door leaders said they try to keep the summer interesting with field trips and other programs such as this one for the children, who range in age from 2.5 years old to eighth grade. In previous years, the group has traveled to see John Ball Park in person, but this year decided to have the zoo travel to see them, summer site supervisor and early childhood specialist Kelly Stafford said.

The group has already gone to a West Michigan Whitecaps baseball game this summer. Other field trips yet to come include visiting the Double JJ Ranch, Ceramic Cafe and the Grand Haven High School Aquatic Center.

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