Intern Justin’s Profile
Posted at 1:31 pm February 8, 2007 by admin
Conservation and animal behavior have been of interest to me since I can remember. I was brought up going to the San Diego Zoo with my aunt nearly every day. I would like to pursue a career in animal biology, preferably field biology. Field biology is the most attractive to me because it allows you to interact with animals in their natural environments. You are also given the opportunity to educate and work with the people native to the animals’ habitats. I am a volunteer at the San Diego Zoo in a program called Zoo Corps. Through this I have learned a lot of new information about not only what the Zoo does to help our natural world but also what I can do as well. My involvement with Zoo Corps was recently profiled in a national high school-level magazine. The issue was focused on kids and their dream jobs.
I come from a very odd family. I was created through a process called in vitro fertilization and surrogacy. My aunt gave birth to me (she was the surrogate) and my parents had to go to court so that my mother was listed on my birth certificate. As a result, my father now has a law practice centered on the infertility world. In addition, my mother is the owner and CEO of an ovum donation and surrogacy matching company.
Trying to convince my two cats to eat their plaque-fighting treats, I realized that my efforts, no matter how desperate, were futile. So, I gave up and tried to figure out a better use of my time. Maybe instead of my constant war against dirty teeth, I should focus my energy on something a little more important, such as the fight against the illegal trade in animal products. This is what led me to apply for Zoo InternQuest. I am a junior in high school, and although I often find myself in a state of stupor during math class, I still manage to do reasonably well. My favorite subjects to study are United States history and biology.
In order to someday become a zoologist, I realized at a young age that I needed to become interested in animals of all shapes and sizes. Currently, my favorite animals are tigers, or rather any species of large cat. I especially enjoy taking photographs of them in their naturalistic enclosures provided at the San Diego Zoo. 
My cocker spaniel, Buddy, is my best friend. Some people think I’m weird, but that’s just who I am. I’m an animal lover. My parents give me the strangest looks when they hear me talking to my dog. I’m always being asked what I want to be when I grow up and I confidently give people my answer, “A zoologist.” As a high school student in Santee, I’ve taken many classes to pursue this dream. My favorite class is biology, with my amazing teacher, Mrs. Rhiane Purdy. My name is Marika and I’m a future employee of the San Diego Zoo (at least that is my hope). I have just begun my work as an intern at the Zoo and I am looking forward to learning a lot about animals.
Born in Vancouver, Canada, moved to San Diego, lived on a yacht in the South Pacific, then back to sunny San Diego. Some people wouldn’t believe it. People usually call me Chelsi. I’m a senior at a high school in San Diego. I love horseback riding, sailing, modeling, and hip-hop dancing. I live with my mom, I have an older sister, and my dad lives on his yacht around the South Pacific. I also have a dog named Ulysses.