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An Educator is talking with a young white girl in pink at the Mud Cafe with a steel counter behind her that is littered with kitchen utensils.
Middle School and High School Students

Teen Volunteer Opportunities

The North Carolina Zoo Teen Volunteer Program gives middle school and high school students the opportunity to explore wildlife, build new skills, and make a positive impact in their community. Offered each summer from May through August, the program is open to rising sixth graders through recent high school graduates.

Teen volunteering is a low-pressure way to start building career-readiness skills, such as communication, teamwork, responsibility, and leadership—skills that are valuable for future jobs, internships, and other opportunities. Through hands-on experiences, teens connect with fellow conservation enthusiasts, support the Zoo’s mission, and grow more confident as they explore potential career paths in a Zoo and conservation setting.

Ready to join our team at the Zoo? Explore the teen volunteer opportunities below to find the program that’s right for you!

Sixth Through Twelfth Grade Students
Teen Volunteer Opportunities

Explore the opportunities where teens can volunteer at the North Carolina Zoo:

Play Pal teen volunteer moving a bubble wand with a large bubble coming out
Play Pals
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A Wildlife Rehab Center employee wearing blue latex gloves is hand-feeding a small mammal with a syringe on a wooden table in a medical setting..
Junior Wildlife Assistant
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A teacher is leading a group of six children sitting on a wooden porch, demonstrating a craft project using repurposed materials like cardboard and egg cartons.
Camp Crew
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Seven students standing on a walkway outdoors, looking over a railing. The students are wearing matching gray or white t-shirts, some with lanyards, holding clipboards and pencils, appearing to be taking notes. The young woman in the foreground is smiling at the viewer. Tall, dense green grasses are on the left, and a few other students are seated on a wooden bench on the right, with a dirt path in front of them. The background is a mix of trees and foliage.

Zoo Futures
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Have questions?

Volunteer Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for answers about volunteering at the North Carolina Zoo? Our frequently asked questions (FAQ) page has you covered with helpful information all in one place.

Read FAQs
A female intern with dark hair pulled into a bun and wearing a red shirt stands next to a rock wall holding a small black tablet collecting data at the grizzly bear habitat.