Potter Park Zoo Announces Partnership with DFCU Financial

Potter Park Zoo is proud to announce a new partnership with DFCU Financial, Michigan’s largest credit union. DFCU Financial will sponsor the 10th anniversary of The BIG Zoo Lesson.

“We are delighted about our new relationship with DFCU Financial. Both of our organizations heavily promote education, and this partnership to showcase the 10th anniversary of The BIG Zoo Lesson is a perfect fit,” says Sherrie Graham, Executive Director of the Potter Park Zoological Society. “We appreciate their generosity and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.”

The BIG Zoo Lesson was created by Margaret Holtschlag, Michigan’s Teacher of the Year in 1999-2000. With the help of Dennis Laidler, Education Curator at Potter Park Zoo, the program was piloted in the 2000-2001 school year. Since then, nearly 10,000 students in the Greater Lansing region have experienced a week of interactive learning at the zoo. The BIG Zoo Lesson is an opportunity for students to do hands-on research, and for teachers incorporate these lessons into their own curriculum. Many academic subjects - geography, science, language arts, writing, math, music, and the arts - have been taught through The BIG Zoo Lesson.

“Both Potter Park Zoo and DFCU Financial share a dedication to educating our youth, which is driven by the belief that a proper education is key to a prosperous future,” explains Mark Shobe, President and CEO of DFCU Financial.

Now with 10 years of experience to draw upon, Holtschlag and Laidler are developing a BIG Zoo Lesson toolkit so the program can be replicated at other zoos. They will also be sharing the success of The BIG Zoo Lesson this fall at the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) conference in Atlanta. They hope to inspire more interactive learning opportunities at other zoos throughout North America.

Potter Park Zoo is located at 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave. within Potter Park along the Red Cedar River in Lansing, Michigan.  The zoo is open daily year-round, summer hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (517) 483-4222 or visit www.potterparkzoo.org

DFCU Financial is Michigan’s largest credit union with $3 billion in assets. For five consecutive years, DFCU Financial has issued the largest dividend in the history of credit unions of more than $90 million. The credit union continually reinvests in its membership with new branches, a no-interest, no-payment Career Transition Program and financial literacy education for all ages. DFCU Financial currently operates 24 full-service branches in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Lansing. For more information and to find out how you can join, call 888.336.2700 or visit www.dfcufinancial.com

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