Zoo-Mates Celebration!

Wednesday was the last Wednesday of Zoo-Mates this year. Mentors and mentees participated in lots of activities to celebrate a great year.

The day began with a trip to the Chipotle on West Clifton Avenue by the University of Cincinnati. The restaurant treated mentors and mentees to a burrito dinner.

Mentors waiting for the bus to arrive.

Tons of burritos!

The mentees arrive at Chipotle.

Chipotle didn't flinch as we filled their restaurant.

Thanks Chipotle! The burritos were delicious!

After filling up on burritos, mentors and mentees went to University of Cincinnati Campus Recreation Center for rock climbing, face painting and some games!

A big thanks to our mentors and mentees, the University of Cincinnati Center for Community Engagement, Project Connect and teachers from Hays/Porter Elementary for making Zoo-Mates such a success!

Check the Zoo-Mates blog throughout the summer for more pictures, videos and the results of the TrueHero.org voting contest. If you haven't voted yet, click here to vote for Zoo-Mates!

Kickball and coloring

Zoo-Mates is really winding down. Mentors and mentees met at Hays/Porter yesterday for their last activity with Happen, Inc. and some kickball in the gym. Zoo-Mates didn't let the rainy weather spoil the day. There were smiles and laughs all around!

Thank you, again, to Happen, Inc. for teaching us so much every month!

Mentors and mentees created under-the-sea adventures.

The other group played an intense kickball game.

Waiting to kick.

Zoo-Mates will meet for the final Wednesday of the year at the University of Cincinnati campus. We'll play some games and eat some great food!

Last day at the zoo

Zoo-Mates met at the zoo for the final time of the school year. The weather was perfect for exploring new parts of the zoo and revisiting favorite animals. Mentors and mentees got the treat of riding both the train and the carousel. We also were able to see the Cincinnati Zoo's latest attraction, Zoo Babies!

A mentee gets a ride to the train.

Lucy, our fantastic zoo liason!

Mentor and mentee hanging out on the carousel.

Smiling for the camera.

Don't jump off!

Mentors and mentees took a trip around the zoo to see

animal babies born in the last few months.

We've had learned a ton and had so much fun at the Cincinnati Zoo. A big thanks to the Education Department and Lucy for teaching and guiding us through the zoo.

There are two more weeks left in Zoo-Mates. We'll be at Hays/Porter next week and finish at the University of Cincinnati!