Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
STONEHAM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Stone Zoo is opening its doors to students from Stoneham Public Schools, for no charge this summer. This is part of an effort by the zoo to get kids outside and to the zoo without a financial barrier.
“Building those skills is so critical to these kids' futures, and just learning [about the animals] and mopping it up, said John Linehane, president and CEO of Zoo New England.
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Linehane believes that in a world where kids are constantly on screens, this is an enticing way to get them to unplug.
“Too many kids are sitting behind a computer screen for too many hours a day, this [initiative] brings them out to not only be interacting with living animals but interacting with people,” he added.
Massachusetts State Representative Michael Day approached Linehane with the initial idea to give back to Stoneham, the town that has been home to the Stone Zoo since it opened in 1905, according to its website.
Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
“[The zoo] is really where you get that deep learning, and the repeated visits are so important for that,” Linehane also said.
WBZ NewsRadio asked Linehane if he thought that eliminating the price of admission for kids would hurt the business since their target demographic is usually kids. He did not seem to think so.
“I don’t think that we’re going to lose a lot of money. Not many people come to the zoo alone. Other people will be coming that might not have come otherwise.”
The Stone Zoo hopes to draw more attendance with the initiative, which will bring in more paying parents accompanying their children, and more people from out of town.
WBZ NewsRadio's Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports
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