One hundred and twenty GEAR UP sophomore and junior students recently visited the OKC Zoo and Botanical Garden in Oklahoma City’s Adventure District in northeast Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Zoo covers over 100 acres of beautiful gardens and animal exhibits. Students enjoyed exploring the indoor and outdoor animal exhibits, which included a variety of habitats, such as Sanctuary Asia, Oklahoma Trails, Cat Forest/Lion Overlook, Butterfly Garden, and the Noble Aquatic Center. Students observed animals in their habitats while learning what it takes to care for each animal. The students were excited to see the animals in their habitat and learn more in-depth about them. One of the most popular exhibits among the students was Sanctuary Asia which housed the elephant habitat with outdoor yards, pools, waterfalls, and a barn you can view from a raised boardwalk. Another popular exhibit was Oklahoma Trails featuring animals native to Oklahoma, including the black bears, alligators, bison, and over a dozen snakes. Students looked closely at these familiar animals while learning more about their habitats and routines. The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP program. Eastern received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant in 2017 and will serve more than 3,000 students in 39 area schools for seven years.