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Central Elementary School’s Night Owls
In April 2007, JMF began partnering with Central Elementary School, a San Diego City School, to sponsor the third grade’s overnight field trip to the Night Owls program at the Wild Animal Park. Night Owls is an overnight program where kids meet animals up-close, take a private Journey into Africa tour, participate in games and campfire stories, and spend one night at the Park, where a lion’s booming roar can be heard at all hours of the night.

JMF provides funding for all of the students who wanted to go. The school raises additional funds for adult chaperones and bus transportation.

“With JMF’s contribution, all of our third graders were able to build upon the classroom curriculum through the Night Owls experience,” said Sarah Mathy, a third grade teacher at Central Elementary School, whose students have been lifted to new heights since participating in the program. “One group of girls in particular was so eager to start a conservation plan after the first day that they stayed up past lights-out to list all the things they could do to help the environment. The experience gave the students a new way of thinking; they realized little kids can make a big change and that makes it more special for the teachers and parents who are now watching their projects come alive.”

Since participating in the Night Owls program, Central Elementary School’s third graders have been inspired to participate in many conservation-related projects designed to beautify the local City Heights community and educate residents about how to conserve water and energy, and preserve the environment and protect wildlife. This unique school has even set up a Conservation Club to help the children put their plans into action.