Alaina Wray

Email: alaina.28.kate@gmail.com
Phone: (970)-799-6636

May 24, 2021

To Whom It May Concern,

It is with the excitement that I submit my application for the position of Animal Experiences and Zoo Tours
Intern at Denver Zoo. As an involved member of my community and someone who cares deeply for the well
being of animals and the environment, I know my diverse skill set and experience will make me an excellent fit
for this position.

As you will see in my attached resume, I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of roles, from being a
housekeeper, assistant, wildlife specialist, and a leader in many environments. I am not only used to switching
between many different tasks to do the job well, I thrive in an environment where I am needed to juggle multiple
things at once. I remember one night when I was volunteering at Champions Special Ministries, I was running
around making sure everything was operating smoothly during the dinner, showing parents to the buffet or a
table, refilling the chips, finding and retrieving more chairs, and more. I stopped at one point and reflected on
how very in my element I felt.

In addition to being flexible and hard working, I am also great at working with people. I have worked with
people in many different settings, from satisfying and problem solving with polite to very particular guests at the
cabins I manage, to collaborating with my peers, kids, and adults on designing a playground for a local school. I
truly love all of it, but my favorite is educating people. I loved educating zoo guests about the zoo's veterinary
program through the Zoo Career Camp when I was in 8th grade, as well as taking my own family through the
zoo and bringing my dad out to DSM Lands, where I interned as a private landowners’ wildlife specialist while I
was surveying. I have also loved discussing my high school-Animas High School- with the public as an
ambassador, and all the other opportunities that AHS has given me to educate others.

Last but not least, I want you to know how truly passionate and excited I am about animal conservation. In my
freshman year of high school, I jumped on the opportunity to volunteer at an animal rescue in Costa Rica.
Nothing is better than starting a day filled with cleaning and raking pens, preparing food for the animals, and
creating enrichment for the animals, in what to a Colorado girl is blazing heat, at 5am to the sound of birds. I
loved every second of it. I also loved every second of my internship at DSM Land. This was more difficult than
any previous experience, as I was thrown in the belly of a whale. While I had never done a wildlife survey, I dove
right into problem solving how to do it and do it well, resulting in a report my mentor can use to prove to
financiers that her land is worthy of conservation. I am really looking forward to learning all I can about the zoo,
its animals, and its conservation efforts and passing that knowledge on to all the guests at the zoo. I care that a
guest knows where the bathroom is as well as how to help save the bees!

In closing, I am thrilled at the possibility of being the Animal Experiences and Zoo Tours Intern, and at the zoo
I grew up going to, no less. I am excited to grow my knowledge on animals, conservation, public speaking, the
inner workings of the zoo, and everything in between. I hope to use my skills in guest care, education, problem
solving, leadership, and multitasking, along with my passion for animals to do well in this position and create a
fun and engaging experience for the zoo guests. I would love the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the
value that I can bring as the Animal Experiences and Zoo Tours Intern. I appreciate your consideration and look
forward to hearing from you.

Best Wishes,
Alaina Wray