In order to create art projects and teach students about important environmental issues and endangered animal species, the art club has been working with the Zoo Academy at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo.

In the past, the art club has worked with the Zoo before to hold showcases to promote the student’s artwork and climate change, but this time they are working directly with the Zoo Academy to offer more in-depth lessons about endangered species.

“During a pandemic, we want to give as many students a great opportunity like this to gather virtually and discuss topics such as conservation and make art together,” art club teacher Rebekah Pilypaitis said.

Members of the club have been doing projects like designing art for t-shirts, paintings, and digital artwork. While working on these projects, members have had the opportunity to attend virtual meetings with animal specialists in exhibits like the elephants.

“I’m really excited we get to collaborate with the zoo academy,” art club president Jaqueline Lopez Rogel said. “I think since their education focuses more on animals, we can get more information about endangered species and learn a lot more than we would normally learn.”

Pilypaitis and the director of education at the Zoo, Jacqueline Halsey, said that their goal is to have an open-air show at the Zoo on April 23 to display the students work, but nothing has been fully decided yet. Any money made from sales will go to conservation programs around the world, and ones the zoo supports.

“Everything depends on the safety of our community, which means we may have a virtual display and sales of artwork,” Pilypaitis said.

Art club members meet virtually every week on Wednesdays from 4-5 pm. Any student is welcome to join, even if they are from a different school or district.