Children of migrant workers get hands-on learning experience at LA Zoo

It was a special day at the Los Angeles Zoo Wednesday as dozens of LAUSD students - all children of migrant farm workers - celebrated the conclusion of a program that taught them about the zoo's conservation work.

Because of the parents' work, the families move across California and face interruptions during the school year.

Through the Migrant Education Program, the students visit the zoo seven times in the summer to meet with animal care experts and learn how animals are taken care of. They also learn about the zoo's work to protect certain species from extinction in the wild.

"By the seventh visit they've become experts on their focus animals and on the last day - the eighth day - we do a gallery of what inspired them during their visits," L.A. Zoo community program manager Coral Barreiro said.

On Wednesday, the student's very own exhibit designs and art pieces were on display so they could share what they learned with their families.

"Not only are they creating, they're speaking, they're learning public speaking skills at 6 years old," Barreiro said.

The zoo experience is one of many offered through the Migrant Education Program, which has been around since the 1970s. It is federally funded and has found plenty of success in recent years.

"For the last two years, we've had 100% graduation rate in our program and we're looking at three years with this year as well as soon as the numbers come out," LAUSD Migrant Education Program director Victor Gonzalez said. "We are very, very excited and happy about it."

Visit the L.A. Zoo's website for more information on all the educational programs at the zoo.