Gabriel Saragosa didn’t mind steering his wheelchair up ramps and around crowds Monday. Surrounded by a baby zebra, lions and flamingos, he zipped through Lincoln Park Zoo while trying to see all the animals in just a few hours.
The 8-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, joined 650 other students from about 10 Chicago public schools for one of their favorite annual school field trips. For the past 15 years, the Rotary Club of Chicago has organized the event for children with physical disabilities.
“They look forward to this day so much that they get here early,” Wayne Schulman, a Rotary Club member, said as he watched the 40 buses arrive at the zoo.
Indeed, what might be a typical field trip for most students is a special day for these youngsters.
The children’s disabilities make it more difficult to find a suitable place for a field trip, but the zoo’s ramps and wide walkways make it ideal for a visit..
“It’s excellent because it’s really accessible for wheelchairs and for walkers,” said Ellie Delaplane, a Chicago physically handicapped resource teacher. “It is not as spread out as other zoos so you can travel less and see more.”
“It’s fun, but it’s stinky over there,” said a smiling Sade Goston, 7, as she walked toward the cows. “We saw penguins and the ones with the long necks–giraffes.”
Jade Jefferson, a 2nd grader said: “We don’t have to do any homework. We walk around and see the animals.” .
While the children wondered at the wildlife, teachers slipped in a few lessons by asking students to read signs or name the animals.
“Some families don’t have converted vans, so they don’t get to go out,” said Michele Scanlan, a teacher at the Christopher School 5042 S. Artesian Av. “Unfortunately, this is sometimes the only way for the kids to get to the zoo.”
Every year, the Rotary Club of Chicago hosts at least three events for children with disabilities, including the zoo visit, a trip to a Northwestern football game and a Christmas party.
![Four years into cannabis legalization in Illinois, celebrations of the April 20 informal weed holiday known as 420 are getting bigger and more widespread. Named for the time of day a group of friends met to get high, 420 has become a chance for marijuana users to publicly share a previously illegal drug and the counter-cultural atmosphere surrounding it. The main event in downtown Chicago likely will be the second annual 420 Sesh Fest, at Green Rose Dispensary. The party will include live music, a magic show, carnival games, food trucks, pop ups, and product discounts. It also will feature Grammy-nominated […]](https://www.chicagotribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ctc-l-Illinois-marijuana_175925141.jpg?w=546 "Four years into cannabis legalization in Illinois, celebrations of the April 20 informal weed holiday known as 420 are getting bigger and more widespread. Named for the time of day a group of friends met to get high, 420 has become a chance for marijuana users to publicly share a previously illegal drug and the counter-cultural atmosphere surrounding it. The main event in downtown Chicago likely will be the second annual 420 Sesh Fest, at Green Rose Dispensary. The party will include live music, a magic show, carnival games, food trucks, pop ups, and product discounts. It also will feature Grammy-nominated […]")