Raiders Excel at ZOOMS Competition

April 8, 2020

The ZOOMS (Zoo Math & Science) is held by the MInnesota Zoo each year. The high school level competition was offered for the first time this school year. The goal of this year's challenge was to redesign the current Nocturnal Hallway of the Tropics Trail at the Minnesota Zoo. The hope was to include a new "Creatures of the Canopy" theme to the exhibit and include the resident sloth and Burmese python along with a few new rainforest species. 

Back in January, Honors Biology students had their projects judged by CDH teachers, and the best progressed to compete against students from other schools at the zoo. 

Judging went virtual, but results and award certificates were still sent out to the winning schools. CDH students received a number of awards! Congratulations to the award-winning teams!

Flint Hills Top Project Award: 1st Place Overall

The winning project!

For excellence in exhibit redesign and engineering of the Tropics nocturnal exhibit for the ZOOMS High School 2019-2020 Exhibit Design Challenge.

 

The 2% Tropics - Audrey Graham '22, Anna Holm '22, Saela Schwab '22, & Julianne Mason '22 

 

"By fulfilling all the goals of the Minnesota Zoo in the transformation of the nocturnal hallway into a vibrant tropical rainforest path we solved the design challenge," the group wrote. "By integrating active animals and real plants on top of the wood plank floor, we created an immersive walk through the rainforest. Featuring an emphasis on conservation through compelling signs and the irresistible endangered animals, the visitors will be sure to both have fun and learn. Efficient use of space, natural environment like exhibits, and interactive activities all make our design exceed the challenge guidelines."

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2nd Place Overall
 
A close-up of the For excellence in exhibit redesign and engineering of the Tropics nocturnal exhibit for the ZOOMS High School 2019-2020 Exhibit Design Challenge.
 
Rainforest Road - Anna Caruso '22 & Megan Delsing '22
 
"We combined the sloth with the Blond Capuchin Monkey that we added in," they explained. "We did this so that the sloth will be encouraged to be more active and visitors will stay longer. For the python, we made the space longer and narrower so that the python would be more visible. We did this because visitors previously wouldn’t stay and watch the python because it was always hiding. We also made it more immersive for the visitors; we have an information booth, a jungle gym, a tunnel, a feeding station, and signs at each exhibit for the visitors."
 
 


 

Conservation Award


The Conservation Awards winners' trifold.For achievement in innovative engineering design highlighting Minnesota Zoo’s commitment to conservation.

May the Rainforest be with You - Jenna Barron '22, Mary Kae Kuenster '22, Nora Perrault '22, & Haley Sigler '22

"Using the engineering design process, we created a solution to our challenge of redesigning the nocturnal hallway," said the team. "We kept some nocturnal aspects of the hallway, starting with the lighting dark and a few nocturnal animals in the beginning half, and then gradually increasing the light as visitors make their way to view the diurnal animals. The exhibits provide entertainment (through interactive exhibits like kid's play areas, live cams and attractions), safety (for both animals, like off-exhibit holding, and visitor), and awareness of conservation (signs, a photo booth that’s proceeds go to conservation organizations, growing plants etc). By improving our design throughout this process we worked to accommodate all visitor, animal, and keeper needs to create a successful design."


Wolf Pack Award
 

A portion of the

Honorable mention for impressive team effort and an enthusiastic and collaborative approach to addressing the 2019-2020 ZOOMS Design Challenge.
 
Endangered Endeavors - Allie Sowatzka '22, Avery Cavanaugh '22, & Chloe Anderson '22
 
"Our group strived to create a new exhibit that would meet the needs of the keepers, visitors, and animals while solving the problems associated with the original Nocturnal Hallway," they said. "Targeting the needs of the keepers, we’ve added a temperature control room and various new holding areas to allow the keeper to safely and easily keep the exhibit clean and comfortable. For visitors, we’ve included various immersive activities to our design (including an underwater otter tunnel, Macaw lookout, and sloth feeding center) to allow our visitors to learn about and form personal connections with the animals they see. Lastly, we’ve included plenty of space and special enrichment for the animals originally living in the hallway (sloth and python) and the active animals that we have decided to add (Lear’s Macaw, Giant Otter, and Flat-headed Cat)."

Congratulations to all the hardworking Raiders who excelled at this project!

Print

Subscribe to our e-Newsletters

News Hub