Education

While Saint Isidore Park is known for its medical care to injured, orphaned, or sick wildlife, the education opportunities we provide are of equal importance. We believe that education is the key to creating generations dedicated to the preservation of our wildlife.  Our passionate educators and animal ambassadors give offer programs and educate many people each year. These programs enrich any classroom and engage students and adults of all ages with the opportunity to observe these amazing creatures up close.  Even the most knowledgeable wildlife enthusiasts walk away from one of our programs having learned something new and exciting about Virginia’s wildlife!

Please understand that our educators will choose ambassadors based on theme, location, weather, and animal welfare. If you have a specific request, we will do our best to accommodate you, but our ambassadors’ health and safety dictate our final decisions. We do not allow touching of any of our ambassadors by the public. Touching these animals will send the wrong message, especially to children. Program fees are based on distance from our facility, length, and topic. Our fees help cover insurance, permits, staff, program materials, and (most importantly) our wildlife ambassadors’ and patients’ care. 

Our center provides educational programs for schools, youth programs, senior centers, businesses, and community events that feature our wildlife ambassadors. We have a few set programs but are happy to collaborate and tailor our programming to better fit with existing curriculums and education goals. Our programs can come to you or our center’s classroom can hold 35 adults or 55 children comfortably. While public tours are not available of our hospital area, several of our wildlife ambassadors reside in our classroom and we welcome you to stop by during office hours to say hello!

GENERAL PROGRAM: This program includes information about what we do as a wildlife rehabilitation center, how you can get involved, and helpful hints on how to peacefully coexist with our wildlife neighbors.  The majority of the program is spent with a few of our wildlife ambassadors as we talk about their individual stories and their species.

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION: Combining elements from our General Program, this program includes a full PowerPoint Presentation with pictures of current patients, why they are at our center, and how we are helping them. With over 80% of our patients coming in because of human involvement, we go into detail on how to best avoid negatively impacting our local wildlife. It also includes uplifting before and after pictures of rescued wildlife and features a few of our wildlife ambassadors.

PUBLIC BOOTH DISPLAY:  The  Center can enhance your street fair, farmer’s market, festival, etc. with a public booth set-up and live educational animals!  We will be on-hand to answer questions directly to event-goers and give people an up close and personal look at one or more of our animal ambassadors as we share their stories and talk about how to live harmoniously with our wildlife neighbors.

PRIVATE MEET & GREET: Get the opportunity of a lifetime and get up close to one of our wildlife ambassadors!  Make sure to bring all of your best questions and a camera.  While you cannot touch the ambassadors, you’ll be able to take many fun and creative pictures with them in this private opportunity.