8 Ways Teens Can Turn Passion Into Purpose at Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo offers a cornucopia of sights, sounds, and activities for every member of the family, and teens are no exception. Not only can young people ages 13–18 visit the zoo with friends and family to enjoy animals and gardens, they can participate in structured programs specially geared to cultivate their interests and improve their prospects. Zoo teens programs help teenagers learn about the world around them, work toward the future, and start taking real action as the next generation of conservation leaders.

Here are some of the ways teens can participate and benefit:

1. Teens can use their voice to educate guests about animal welfare science and conservation all summer long.

The Malott Family Zoo Intern Program allows students ages 16–18 to work as on-grounds interpreters, teaching the general public about how fascinating animals are and helping them understand the ways in which Lincoln Park Zoo is contributing to saving species and ecosystems. As interns, students learn how to engage the public, develop speaking and listening skills, and work on an independent conservation project. This is a paid, seven-week internship.

2. Teens can make a difference by doing real-world research with zoo scientists.

A unique opportunity with the award-winning Malott Family Research Apprenticeship Program allows teens to do meaningful science that affects real communities. Students ages 16–18 will learn about field-based and computational methods in research and work with zoo scientists in the zoo’s high-profile Urban Wildlife Institute, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Population Management Center, or the Horticulture department. They’ll conduct real science on zoo studies with support and encouragement from career researchers. This is a paid, seven-week internship.

Image (and featured image) by Linda Miller

3. Teens can help run the zoo’s summer camp program for kids PreK–Grade 5.

The Camp Teen Volunteer program lets students ages 13–18 help camp counselors run a full-day summer camp program for kids. Teens work with young learners, set up and take down activities, help children explore animals and conservation, and create moments of connection and fun for campers. They gain experience working with elementary-aged school children, spend time developing curriculum, and learn how to be better caregivers and educational guides. This program is not paid, but students can gain service hours required by schools.

4. Teens can facilitate learning-oriented nature play activities for little ones.

The Nature Buds internship lets teens learn about and cultivate the benefits of nature play for small children—fostering creativity and promoting motor skills through music, art, story time, and building. Teens guide activities and create a sensory-rich environment that’s also a safe space for kids. In doing so, they gain experience in education as well as conservation. This is a paid summer internship through After School Matters.

Image by Linda Miller

5. Teens can learn about possible career paths in conservation.

Every teen program at Lincoln Park Zoo has the goal of exposing teens to careers in conservation. Not everyone who does this type of work must be an animal keeper or a researcher, although accredited zoos like Lincoln Park Zoo certainly offer those types of opportunities. There are many jobs that take advantage of individual skills and strengths and mesh them with the passions and interests of the next generation of leaders. Zoo teens will have opportunities to discover what they might want to do in the future, find out what that entails in terms of education and training, and connect with people who can help them develop the skills they need. Former participants have indicated that zoo teen programs expanded their awareness of their career options and shaped their passions.

Image by Linda Miller

6. Teens can connect with zoo staff and peers who care as much as they do about the world around us.

Zoo teens programs connect young people with people who do conservation for a living who can act as mentors, but they also connect teens with one another—people their age in the Chicago area who also care about conservation and want to explore it as a career. You never know where this might lead, but at least in the short term it means finding friends with common interests and spending the summer outdoors learning about things that matter with people who understand and align with your interests. Even in the one-off zoo teens events, such as January’s Zoo Teens: Roll for Wildlife session, young people can find others that share their affinity, whether it’s Dungeons and Dragons or a love of the lion pride at Pepper Family Wildlife Center. In fact, a survey of teen program alumni from 2025 indicated that 71% stayed in touch with other alumni in the years after participating.

7. Teens can develop leadership skills that can help them no matter what field they decide to go in to.

Just deciding to be a part of something bigger can catalyze a whole career path for teenagers. At the zoo, whether as a Conservation Ambassador Board member or camp volunteer or intern, students learn to take advantage of the resources they have available and develop their ideas into something tangible and useful. They will learn to communicate better, work together as part of a team, solve problems, resolve conflicts, develop confidence, adapt to different situations, and plan strategically—all soft skills that will stand them in good stead no matter where they end up. Former students have noted that zoo teens programs also made them more confident in meeting new people, elevated their public speaking skills, and helped them prepare for college. In fact, 97% of former students in the 2025 study referenced above said their programs helped prepare them for careers and for professional life.

8. Teens can learn how to take action—and actually do it!

The tasks that teens take on at Lincoln Park Zoo are actual jobs that require responsibility and have practical results. They are assisting zoo staff in real work that makes a big difference for zoo guests, children, and animals. Sure, the students are learning, but they are also creating change and making a positive impact on the zoo. Some are doing actual biological research in the Malott Family Research Apprenticeship Program and in the Partners in Fieldwork program with local schools. Some are creating formative experiences for camp kids and children who are visiting the zoo in the Camp Teen Volunteer program and Nature Buds. Others, as in the Malott Family Zoo Intern Program, are teaching guests about animals in a way that will connect them to nature. Past participants have noted that they were able to build community, improve their personal and professional skills, develop a deeper appreciation for nature and environmental stewardship, and advance their own personal growth. These programs are formative and hopefully inspiring for the youth that give us hope for the future.

Apply Now!

Applications for most of the zoo’s teen summer jobs (both Malott Family internships and Camp Teen Volunteer roles) are being accepted now through March 9. Virtual sessions on how to turn in the best application take place on Thursday, February 26, and Thursday, March 5 (register here). The Nature Buds application can be accessed in April on the After School Matters website.