For 115 second graders from Greene County Elementary and Paton-Churdan, this fall’s Beta Tau Delta-sponsored trip to the Blank Park Zoo was a “tweet love affair.” Each student entered the bird cage and stood very still as parakeets landed up close and personal on feeding sticks the youngsters held out in front of them.
As an extra treat of the day, the giraffe compound, which had been under reconstruction earlier this fall, reopened in time for each student to feed the giraffes. And the students laughed as they fed goats and watched their playful antics.
In other activities, the students took train rides throughout the zoo, had hot lunches served to them, had class photos taken and received bags of zoo souvenirs.
The Beta Tau Delta zoo experience for all second graders in the county started 10 years ago when school budgets for out-of-classroom learning experiences were slashed. Beta Tau Delta, Greene County’s children’s champion sorority, stepped in to help fill the void. Almost 1,300 students over the past decade have benefitted from a day at the zoo with all expenses paid by the sorority.
Every year, Beta Tau Delta members assist in chaperoning the classes. This year 11 Beta members assisted second grade teachers from Greene County elementary and Paton-Churdan elementary.
The 100-year-old sorority funds programs and projects to benefit Greene County area youth through community donations and fundraising projects.
