Tucson has a lot of wonderful science/STEM/STEAM opportunities, and one of the best is with the Reid Park Zoo. More than 15,000 school children visit Reid Park Zoo every year, and it’s free! Students travel from all over the southwest to visit our zoo, and, if you’ve been at the zoo during one of these events, you’ve seen firsthand the excitement and enthusiasm on all these young faces. Some will be inspired to pursue careers in wildlife biology, conservation, sustainable living, and, yes, even art. We need science illustrators, too. But most importantly, zoo staff are educating a new generation of citizen-scientists who will understand and appreciate the complexities of our natural world. I wholeheartedly support Reid Park Zoo’s master plan to expand its conservation and educational missions.
Terie Thompson
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.