A Cool Happening at the Akron Zoo

Our youngest scholars at APS have a unique opportunity to explore the world outside of the classroom by visiting local cultural and historical organizations. These opportunities are for students in preschool through fifth grade and are called Essential Experiences^_(SM).^_.  Each experience is directly connected to classroom learning, deepens connections to their community, drives curiosity and exposes students to career possibilities.

Our first-grade scholars participate in the Akron Zoo's Animal Encounters. Here they learn about what living things need to survive.  

This week, first-grade scholars from King CLC participated in their Essential Experience. Little did they know that one of our very own APS high school scholars would be their group leader for the day. Savion, a current scholar at Buchtel CLC, was working as part of his work-based learning experience with the zoo. After the bus was unloaded and the class got organized, Savion approached the teacher and asked, "Ms. Caporuscio?" As it turns out, Savion was one of Ms. Caporuscio's students when he was a student at Schumacher CLC. Ms. Caporuscio thought he was working at the zoo full-time, so he explained to her that he was a senior at Buchtel in the Education Professions pathway (and senior class president!). He was there to do a paid internship with the Akron Zoo. 

Not only did Savion do an amazing job leading Ms. Caporuscio's class, but his leadership was a great example to our young scholars of what you can do while in high school at APS. Ms. Caporuscio took a selfie with Savion and her class in the background, showing her current students what they can be when they grow up.  

Essential Experiences are possible because of the financial commitment from GAR Foundation to provide preschool-through-fifth-grade students at APS with a meaningful field study outside of the classroom.