ZooTeen is a multifaceted volunteer program that allows teens to fit their wish to assist at the zoo during the summer months and can extend into yearround. The program began in the 1980s.

As the African zookeeper Jundt, of Minot, takes care of the giraffes, zebras, African lions, bongo, warthogs and others in that area of the zoo.

She said the ZooTeen program was beneficial to her.

“I was able to see how a zoo ran,” she said. “We didn’t work a whole lot with the animals when I did it. I painted fences, like out in front of the train. I know I painted all that fence,

Submitted Photo Taylor Jundt, Roosevelt Park Zoo’s African zookeeper, is shown with a bongo eating from her hands. Jundt started at the zoo as a ZooTeen. She said the ZooTeen program benefited her by seeing how a zoo operated.

“I did a lot of raking and sweeping and maintenance of the zoo grounds, which actually now that I’m a keeper, I realize how much it helps to have more hands doing that because it can be very time-consuming and as a zookeeper, that’s just one of the many things you’re in charge of,” Jundt said.

In 2016 when Jundt was in college she got an internship with the zoo.

“I did a winter internship and I did a summer internship,” she said. Her winter internship was for all around the zoo so she helped with all areas at the zoo. Her summer internship was with the hoofed stock, now called the African area.

She doesn’t hesitate to say she really likes working with the African area inhabitants at the zoo. “I didn’t realize it until I started working here at the zoo,” she said.

“I think my disposition is pretty similar to them – laid back, easy going , likes to eat, likes to graze, likes to snack,” she said with a laugh. “I can’t even really tell you, I just really enjoyed it,” she said.

Submitted Photo Taylor Jundt, left, African zookeeper at Minot’s Roosevelt Park, and Sarah Peterson, right, zoo educator, feed one of the giraffe’s at the zoo. Jundt was a ZooTeen when she got her start at the zoo. Peterson oversees the ZooTeen program.

“I worked with the other animals here too because I am cross-trained in all the areas but they’re (African area inhabitants) my favorite by far,” she added.

Having started with the ZooTeen program, she said it helped her know what the zoo does. “I didn’t realize when I was younger how much education goes into it so it really makes sense that the Education Program is the one that brings the teens in because they get to help with any kind of programs like with the children but also like with Conservation Day and where we’re educating the public. That’s a big part of being a zookeeper – working at a zoo in general is the education. That’s a huge part of our mission,” Jundt said.

Zoo educator Sarah Peterson, of Minot, originally from Georgia, said this year’s ZooTeen volunteers will have their first training session on May 13.

Applications for the program are being accepted until April 30. Those selected will be contacted by May 7. They will officially began their volunteer work at the zoo in May after school ends and with the zoo’s summer camp when it starts in June. A maximum of 20 teens are selected for the program.

“Primarily they are going to help us with summer camp (for kids 2 years to Grade 6), helping us keep the kiddos involved doing different activities with us,” Peterson said.

“They also get to, like Taylor said, be involved in a variety of other things,” she said. “They help us with keeping the grounds clean whether it’s litter and trash pick up in between sessions, sometimes they get to help up front greeting guests or helping the keepers at their keepers’ chats so they get more knowledge about the animals we have here on grounds. They help with Animal Awareness Conservation Days, like our Giraffe Day, our Tiger Day, World Otter Day.

Peterson said they also get trained on taking biofacts like furs and snakeskins out to a habitat and engaging with the public to talk about the animals that they’ve learned about.

She said the teens also get to learn about the zoo’s education animals so when she and Nicole Barnhart, zoo education, conservation and outreach coordinator, do programs so the summer camp kids get to meet an animal. “We would sometimes let the teen be the one to tell the kids about the animal. We do the handling but the teens get to tell the kids what they’ve learned,” Peterson said.

“It’s neat to watch them in the summer as they learn about all the animals on grounds,” Peterson said. “They start telling the kids things they’ve learned – names of the animals, different things they’ve learned that the zookeepers say about them – so they get to have that ownership of this is their zoo,” Peterson said.

She said the main focus of the ZooTeens program is summertime but ZooTeens have the option to volunteer at the zoo on weekends during the school year or as their schedule allows on animal awareness days during the school year.

Peterson said ZooTeen volunteers can reapply for the program. She said three ZooTeen volunteers last year are applying to return again this year to continue learning. The only charge for the program is $8 for a T-shirt.

“It lets them learn about the zoo but then it also helps them with learning to talk to other people,” Peterson said. She said when the ZooTeens are walking around the zoo with zoo staff, they encourage them to greet and talk to guests. By the end of the summer, she’s observed they are more at ease talking to zoo guests. “That’s one of the special things I’ve seen is watching them become more confident in their public speaking,” Peterson said.