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Animal Magnetism: The Columbus Zoo comes to Lubeck Elementary School

By James Dobbs 3 min read

LUBECK -- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium visited Lubeck Elementary School with a herd of different creatures on Friday as a part of the Habitat Heroes Program.

Students and teachers watched as Animal Program Specialist Angela Armocida and Seasonal Keeper in the Animal Encounters Village Hannah Routhier showcased some of the different species the zoo has to offer.

Armocida brought around a porcupine, a skunk, a parrot and a penguin. Routhier walked around with smaller animals for students to see, like the bearded dragon and a box turtle. Two students were selected from the crowd to hold and show off cockroaches to the other students.

Routhier also brought out a sloth for the students to see and hung from a branch while she fed it snacks.

Routhier, who has been working with the zoo since the end of August, is a former student of Lubeck Elementary and said she was excited to be back introducing the animals to students.

"It's really cool. It really feels like I've come like full circle, like I feel like I've fulfilled my purpose, so to speak," she said. "I just feel really proud that I'm able to take the knowledge I've gained and share it with this small community, because I know what it's like to grow up here in this small town and be in those kids' shoes just sitting on the gym floor and learning. I am just really proud that I get to share this knowledge with them and hopefully, if this is their dream, I have inspired them to pursue it."

She said growing up she always wanted to be a veterinarian, but realized after some experience in an animal hospital that she wanted to take a different path.

Armocida, who has worked with the Columbus zoo from 2015 to 2018 and then again from 2020 to the present, said the Habitat Heroes Program tries to teach students how to be heroes for the animals and the habitats they live in. She said this program has been going on for close to 10 years.

"We showcase a variety of animals from different habitats. We try and cover a handful of them and then talk about how we can be heroes for the habitats that the animals live in by doing things like recycling, using less plastic but also how the animals are heroes in their habitat," she said. "My goal is always to teach the kids something new so that they love the animals and they want to help protect the habitats too."

Armocida said she likes working with the zoo because every day is different and it is something she believes in and feels passionate about.

Armocida said this program is important, because it helps give some children a chance to see animals they might not otherwise be able to see. She said it is one of her favorite parts of her job.

"I think especially for areas where it might not be easy to get to the zoo, it gives them that chance to see animals and feel that connection with them and feel that love for them," she said.

James Dobbs can be reached at jdobbs@newsandsentinel.com.

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