Zoo Teens: Discovering a Passion
Created in 1999 and becoming year-round in
2004, Zoo Teens is an innovative program that
has welcomed over 400 Brevard County youth
to donate their time to the Zoo–more than
100,000 hours of it! After completing a
competitive application process, participants
accepted, who are between 13 and 16 years of
age, commit to one year of service to the Zoo;
assisting staff with special events, educational
interpretation and animal husbandry. Many
Zoo Teens, like Rubén, have turned their
passion into careers.
Rubén Pabon-Padin was born in Puerto Rico,
and moved to Brevard County when he was 12.
Pabon-Padin’s speech impediment made him
shy and he searched for an opportunity to
gain confidence.
One day while visiting the Zoo, he noticed
teenagers handling animals. That sparked his
interest in becoming a Zoo Teen.
Eighty-two percent of Zoo Teens stay in the
program for more than one year, Pabon-Padin
included. His favorite assignments were
assisting counselors with summer camps
and preparing animal diets in the Wildlife
Detective Training Academy. Though participants
are only required to work one shift per month,
he spent four or five days a month at the Zoo.
When he aged out of the Zoo Teen Program,
Pabon-Padin became an adult volunteer,
continuing his work as an animal handler
and summer camp assistant.
While studying biology at the University of
Central Florida, he secured a part-time job as
an adventure services guide at the Zoo. After
seven dutiful years, he hung up his Brevard Zoo
uniform ready to take the next step in
his career in Veterinary school.
Graduating with a DVM from Ohio State
University in 2018, Pabon-Padin found
employment at Banfield Pet Hospital in
Orlando, where he remains today.
Pabon-Padin incorporates his love for
education into his job. “I love when children
bring their pets for an exam and I get to teach
them something new,” he said. Pabon-Padin
even keeps a child-sized stethoscope with him
to invite the youngsters to be a part of the
veterinary process, hoping that he might inspire
a child the way that Zoo Teens did for him.
Youth
Environmental
Summit
Inspired after attending a similar event at
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in
Sarasota, the 2012 class of Zoo Teens
developed this 100-attendee workshop that
aims to connect environmentally-minded
teens with like-minded peers. Participants
rotate through a selection of offerings,
which includes lectures, hands-on
conservation projects and eco-friendly
crafts. The Teens are responsible for
virtually every aspect of the event, such
as inviting speakers, designing promotional
fliers and seeking community funding.
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