Carlee Procella completed the Ellen Trout Junior Zookeeper program this summer. Here is a brief look at her experience in her own words. “My responsibilities the first week were go let hippos out into there inclosure; then usually we would wash dishes after check in on some other animals then make their food for the night. I was very impressed at the high quality of food the animals are fed. Many zoos get a bad name but Ellen Trout works hard to take good care of their animals. One day someone donated lots of watermelons and the animals had a blast. I would say those responsibilites also turned into my favorite parts, especially the hippos. I was amazed at how gentle they were and how close we were able to be with them. I was able to paint with one and that’s a memory I will cherish. Mostly I learned about the care and diet of the mammals. I also learned there are many steps to running a zoo and getting different animals from other zoos. We also learned about the vet responsibilities and how to safely move animals around. My future plans include continuing to work with animals at many levels including Junior Zookeeper. I plan to grow up and become a veterinarian and practice in Hemphill. I will do big and large animals. I would encourage anyone that enjoys learning about animals to check into the junior zookeeper program. The zoo has programs that start from 3 years old- the Zoo Tots and works all the way up through college. If you don’t mind hard work and learning about animals, it’s a great experience.” For more photos check out sabinecountyreporter.com