File
Tim Hernandez
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The animals of Zoomagination, popular with the crowd at last year’s SACtacular, will be returning to campus 5-10 p.m. Oct. 17 in the mall.
Billed as a neighborhood block party, SACtacular is a free celebration featuring live music by The Mo-Dels, Olympic-style boxing, balloon artists and a kids’ zone.
In addition, college departments will offer showcases and 10 student organizations are operating food booths.
Local food trucks will offer more choices and a game box truck welcomes gamers.
District police Officer Miguel Castillo, who performs as DJ 5-0, will be spinning for the crowd.
Rounding out the evening is an outdoor showing of “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
Zoomagination is the brainchild of Robert Trejo who seven years ago recognized a need for a ‘zoo-to-you’ program for schools.
“Children retain more information when the instruction includes a live animal,” Trejo said.
Topics covered during presentations include wildlife preservation and the environmental impact of man.
Trejo led a summer elementary school outreach program for a previous employer in San Antonio.
He received so much positive feedback from teachers, it inspired him to launch a startup company that could offer the service.
Zoomagination began with a turtle named Lloyd, a macaw named Legend, a bearded dragon named Elliot and a tarantula named Rosie. It has grown to include other animals such as the two-toed sloth, Sienna, a big hit at the first SACtacular in fall 2013.
Trejo said all of Zoomagination’s animals are conditioned and well trained for audience participation.
After the animals outgrow Trejo’s facility of Zoomagination in the San Antonio west side area they get placed with a good home.
Sheila was an 8-month-old Bennett’s wallaby when she came to Trejo and was just placed with a local zoo.
Trejo majored in biology at the University of Texas at El Paso and has 25 years of experience as an animal behaviorist and veterinary technician.
Trejo hopes that the company can one day soon acquire non-profit status as an education agency.
For more information, call Robert Trejo at 210-316-0072 or visit http://www.zoomagination.com.
