AmeriCorps

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (CZBG) and AmeriCorps have partnered together to affect change in our communities! We bring fun, science-based educational opportunities to students in Cincinnati who need it the most. Together, CZBG and AmeriCorps provide quality STEM education to economically disadvantaged Prek-12 students. AmeriCorps Members work directly with teachers and students to improve science literacy and academic engagement in the scientific process.

We are challenging our community to step up and do more to conserve resources and wildlife! AmeriCorps Members engage community members by sharing sustainable habits, encourage behavior change, and provide hands-on learning opportunities. Our goal is to lead by example and spark environmentally conscious practices in our community.

Join The AmeriCorps Crew!

Applications are live for the 2023-24 service year.

Who We Are

AmeriCorps is bringing out the best in America. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve directly with nonprofit organizations to tackle our nation’s most pressing challenges. Since the program’s founding in 1994, over 1 million AmeriCorps Members have contributed more than 1.4 billion hours in service across America. These Members tackle pressing problems and mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve.

AmeriCorps programs do more than move communities forward; they serve their Members by creating jobs and providing pathways to opportunity for young people entering the workforce. AmeriCorps places thousands of adults into intensive service positions where they learn valuable work skills, earn money for education, and develop an appreciation for citizenship. Ohio has over 1,300 local service sites and has awarded more than $118.2 million dollars in scholarships to AmeriCorps Members.

Learn more about our current 2022-23 members!

Who We Serve

Each year, full-time AmeriCorps members join the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden in service positions throughout the Zoo. Members earn a living allowance, education stipend, and receive extensive training, practice, and skill building in environmental education and other fields. AmeriCorps Members are eligible for benefits including health insurance and childcare. Past Zoo AmeriCorps members have gone on to become full-time employees of Zoos, other non-profits, informal or formal education, corporations, and more!

Annual outcomes of this partnership will be to:

Bring 11,000 economically disadvantaged students to the Zoo
Increase the science literacy and academic engagement of 1,690 of these students
Engage 30 teachers in inquiry-based professional development
Provide STEM extracurricular programs to 10 children in need throughout the entire school year and summer
Increase the conservation knowledge and intent to change behavior
Leverage an additional 480 adult and teen volunteers to deliver environmental messaging to Zoo visitors and will address blight through the creation of healthy green spaces for people and wildlife.