Next month, students across the state will present their projects to the Minnesota Zoo to help them address real-world problems.

This year, the focus is on white-cheeked gibbons, which is a critically endangered species.

“You can hear them through the entire Tropics Building,” said Kelli Gabrielson, an animal care technician with the Minnesota Zoo. “The gibbons are sometimes swinging, brachiating through the branches, that’s fun to watch,”

Tia and Bailey are the Minnesota Zoo’s resident pair of white-cheeked gibbons in the Tropics Trail.

“They are one of the smartest primates we have at the zoo so we want to be able to provide them with the enrichment, stimulation that they need,” Gabrielson said.

That’s where thousands of students are stepping in to help. 

“Every year, it’s a different real, authentic zoo-based challenge that we have students solve,” said Kristi Berg, STEM specialist with the Minnesota Zoo.

It’s called the ZOOMS STEM Design Challenge. Over the years, students in grades 3 through 12 have helped the zoo by putting together a project. It could be new enrichment opportunities for animals or re-designing a habitat.

“We’ve actually had some designs that were used and put in with our brown bears,” Berg said.

“It’s interesting to see what they bring to the table,” Gabrielson said.

The zoo says its gibbon exhibit is due for an upgrade.

“These are real ideas, we didn’t ask students to do this for no reason,” Berg said.

Zoo staff says even if the student ideas aren’t used, it’s a great learning experience.

“We want it to be a chance for these students to see themselves in some of these careers and find ways they can feel like they’re helping wildlife,” Berg said.

Students are set to present their projects to the judges starting on March 4. For more information about the ZOOMS STEM Design Challenge, click here.