Zoo InternQuest is a seven-week career exploration program for San Diego County high school juniors and seniors. Students have the unique opportunity to meet professionals working for the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, learn about their jobs, and then blog about their experience online. Follow their adventure here on the Zoo’s website! Welcome to my blog! If this isn’t nice, what is? My name is Glenna, and I am a senior in high school. I am absolutely thrilled to share this exciting adventure with all of you, so stay tuned for new blog posts and photos! I was lucky to grow up in the small town of Mammoth Lakes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains where I was constantly exposed to the beauty of nature and the importance of wildlife conservation. I shared my garden with black bears, mule deer, coyotes, and the occasional mountain lion or great-horned owl. During the summers, I studied at the local nature reserve, hiking through dense forests, sketching bark beetles, and identifying animal tracks. When I wasn’t at Valentine Nature Reserve, I was watching Animal Planet with my dad. Although I live in San Diego now, I still love to hike and fish. I am very passionate about politics, current events, and conservation. I am the president of my high school’s Speech and Debate Team, and I am also the president of the club Umoja. The goal of Umoja is to raise social awareness and to promote equality on campus through education. In my free time I volunteer at the San Diego Humane Society. I love animals of all shapes and sizes, and I look forward to learning more about wildlife preservation and the role the zoo plays in conservation. Glenna Winter Session, 2016