W.I.L.D. Program

The Wildlife, Inclusion and Leadership Development Program

The Wildlife, Inclusion and Leadership Development Program (W.I.L.D.) was launched at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in 2016 to provide at-risk teens in Jacksonville with an innovative leadership and employment opportunity in the Education department.

As employees of the Zoo, the W.I.L.D. Program participants, all between the ages of 14 and 19*, serve as community ambassadors of Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. All programming that the teens develop are free and aim to bridge the accessibility gap of historically underserved neighborhoods, community-betterment organizations and youth that for varying reasons may have limited access to facilities such as the Zoo. These educational outreach programs aim to address the very real issue of promoting and re-imaging the campaign for environmental literacy.

While the teens involved become adept at environmental education, ultimately, the W.I.L.D. Program promotes self-awareness and confidence, broadens the teens’ capacity as emerging leaders, and builds an effective, inclusive team. These teens are the face of the zoo in their community, and voice of their generation for the environment.

Interested in joining the W.I.L.D. Team?

We’re always looking for great talent to add to our current team. Although hiring happens in a yearly cycle, we welcome interested teens to reach out and show their interest in joining the program year round! If you are a teen between the ages of 14 to 19*, or know a teen who would be an asset to our team, contact us at wildprogram@jacksonvillezoo.org.

The W.I.L.D. Team is gearing up to hire for a spring season program start! Applications will be accepted via the "Apply Now" button below from February 8th - February 22nd, 2023 and requires a video and written application submissions.

Apply Now

Awards and Recognitions

Required Application Instructions

Due to the number of applicants and time constraints, you will be required to create a short video introducing yourself and responding to the prompts below. This video will serve as our first introduction to many of you and will allow us to get to know you a little better before we hopefully see you for our first round of interviews! Again, you are REQUIRED to submit this video no later than 11:59pm on FEBRUARY 22ND. If you do not submit a video, you will NOT be considered for employment. Please send all video submissions to wildprogram@jacksonvillezoo.org.

Make a short video about yourself using the following prompts (video must be under five minutes):

Describe your relationship with the outdoors
Describe a recent time where you faced a challenging situation
- What happened/what was it?
- How did you handle the situation?
What is a hobby/activity outside of school that you enjoy?
In a team, what role do you normally take? (Leader, researcher, organizer, etc.)
What do you feel is your strongest leadership quality?
What aspect of leadership do you feel you most need to improve?
How would joining the W.I.L.D. team benefit you?
Choose one of the two following personality questions:
- What is your favorite holiday and why?
- Tell us your favorite joke

Applicant Qualifications

Qualified Teens will....

Be at least 14 years old OR entering high school in Duval County during the 2023-2024 school year.
Be returning to highschool in Duval County for the 2023-2024 school year.
Be a resident or attend school in one of the following zip codes: 32202, 32205, 32206, 32208, 32209, 32210, 32211, 32218, 32244 or 32254.
Be committed to working 8 hours/week during the school year and up to 35 hours/week during summer break.
Commit to the team for AT LEAST one year, preferrably more!
Be willing to make friends, memories and gain important and applicable life skills!

*The typical hiring age is 14. Given our hiring cyle and birthdates, we do have students who have been hired at the age of 13. Nonetheless, all students must be entering high school the following semester or quarter after hired.

Questions?

For any additional information or questions regarding The W.I.L.D. Program, please contact us via phone or email at wildprogram@jacksonvillezoo.org or 904-757-4463 ext. 484.

Looking for More Opportunities for Teens?

Check out our Volunteer Progams

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