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Foshay Learning Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
18 August 1998
Imagine being singled out as one of the best at what you love to do. This year, The Walt Disney Company honored Los Angeles GLOBE teacher and Franchise Coordinator John Zavalney as one of the United State's best science educators.
Mr. Zavalney teaches Life Science at the Foshay Learning Center in South Central, Los Angeles. His classroom, which he affectionately calls "The Zoo," provides inner-city students an opportunity to observe, handle, measure, feed, maintain, and research different wildlife that have been illegally imported or smuggled into the United States.
Last year, Mr. Zavalney traveled to Tanzania to work with Dr. Jane Goodall in her primate research in Africa. While there, he secured Tanzanian participation in GLOBE and organized a workshop for 25 Tanzanian teachers and Peace Corps Volunteers working with them. He is also working to expand GLOBE throughout the city of Los Angeles.
In September 1998, Mr. Zalvaney will take three students to make presentations on GLOBE at the World Expo in Lisbon, Portugal. "Through GLOBE, my students can learn not only about our environment, but about the importance of personal responsibility and team work," Mr. Zavalney said.