High School Internships

The High School Internship program is now closed for the school year.  Applications will be accepted for the next school year beginning on September 1.

The High School Internship is designed to give high school students in their senior or junior year practical experience in environmental education and the opportunity to gain a broad background of the Zoo community and how it operates.

We consider an internship with the Philadelphia Zoo a very valuable experience for those students considering a career in the animal sciences, environmental studies or education. It is our hope they will leave the internship with a better understanding of these fields and a heightened passion for animals and conservation. We rarely take students that are just filling service hours since they get much less out of the internship.

Since this program is highly interactive with guests, participants must have good presentations skills and be able to represent the Zoo as an educator. This program can be highly competitive therefore all applicants are subject to an interview before being selected as an intern.

Duties

While at the Philadelphia Zoo, high school interns will help us deliver the Zoo’s conservation and education message to guests. This will be done through informal guest encounters at Exploration Stations placed in various locations throughout the Zoo. Interns may also assist us with development or preparation of projects to be used in the engagement of guests. They may also support the Education Department with office tasks as needed. Please note that interns will not handle animals.

Requirements

  • Students must agree to volunteer with the Zoo for a minimum of 80 hours. This may be more or less than their school requires. They can certainly extend their service if it is less than their school requires. Hours will not be approved by Zoo staff until the minimum service requirement has been met.
  • Students must have an advisor that we are in direct contact with in order to manage any issues with the internship. It is also preferred to have at least one meeting or phone conference with the advisor during the internship.
  • Students must complete an interview prior to being accepted into the program. It is not guaranteed placement. The interview process includes preparing a brief presentation.
  • Students must attend orientation which may fall prior to their official school start date. Service must begin during the school year. Orientations are not offered in the summer. Interns selected for the program must attend orientation on one of the following dates:
    • November 17, 2012
    • February 2, 2013
    • March 9, 2013
    • April 12, 2013
    • May 4, 2013
  • Students are required to complete a PA Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Criminal Background Check prior to beginning their assignment.
  • Students must adhere to the attendance and call out policy.
  • Students may volunteer for full days, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (or earlier if their school day ends at 3:00 p.m. or 4:00 p.m.) or a half day. Shifts must be a minimum of 4 hours.
  • Volunteering in the mornings is strongly preferred, regardless of the time of year. In the off-season (winter) afternoons are too slow to provide a valuable experience.
  • Students can volunteer on weekdays or weekends depending on what is designated by their school program.
  • We look for a clear set of goals set by the school for the internship. For example, do you have journal or project to complete? Certain skills you should learn? A final presentation?

Appplication Process

Online applications will be accepted from September 1 - March 31.* Only qualified applicants will be invited via email to an interview; please be sure to list a valid email address that you check frequently on your application. Applicants will be asked to bring a copy of their last report card and two letters of recommendation to the interview. Please allow 3 to 4 weeks to process an application.