Akron Zoological Park

THE AKRON ZOO WILL DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) PLAN FOCUSED ON FIVE AREAS, INCLUDING WORKFORCE, WORKPLACE, GUEST SERVICES, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND PROCUREMENT. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EXISTING WORKPLACE CULTURE, COLLECTION OF COMMUNITY DATA, IDENTIFICATION OF BASELINE DEI MEASURES, DEVELOPMENT OF A STRATEGY TO REORIENT THE EXISTING WORK PLANS AROUND DEI, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ZOO STAFF, AND ONGOING EVALUATION OF PROGRESS. THE PROJECT WILL INVOLVE SEVERAL CONSULTANTS AS WELL AS ESTABLISHING AN EXECUTIVE TEAM AND A STAFF ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHO EACH WILL RECEIVE TRAINING ON COMMUNICATION AND UNCONSCIOUS BIAS. THE OUTCOME OF THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL CENTER DEI AS A PRINCIPLE DRIVING DECISIONS ACROSS THE ZOO, THAT WILL BENEFIT ZOO EMPLOYEES, ALONG WITH BROADER COMMUNITY.

AKRON ZOO IN OHIO WILL DELIVER SPECIALIZED, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMMING TO STUDENTS WHO ARE RETURNING TO SCHOOL BUILDINGS AFTER LEARNING REMOTELY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. PROGRAMMING WILL SUPPORT A PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN POPULATION AND ELEMENTARY STUDENTS IN GRADES 4 AND 5. THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM WILL INTRODUCE CHILDREN TO THISTLE, A TENREC AT THE AKRON ZOO, AND TEACH THEM HOW THISTLE ADAPTED TO HER NEW ZOO BY UNDERSTANDING HER EMOTIONS, FORMING COPING STRATEGIES, AND MAKING FRIENDS. THE ELEMENTARY PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON PEER RELATIONSHIPS AND TEAMWORK, WITH GROUP ACTIVITIES INSPIRING PARTICIPANTS TO COLLABORATE ON COMMON GOALS, COMMUNICATE ROLES AND NEEDS, OPEN THEMSELVES UP TO FRIENDSHIP, AND PRIORITIZE INCLUSIVITY. BY THE END OF THE PROGRAM, THE ZOO EXPECTS STUDENTS TO GROW IN SELF-AWARENESS, HANDLING THEIR EMOTIONS, AND FEELING MORE CONFIDENT WITH PEERS.