Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo has become a leader in both informal and formal science education. Its Zoo Academy is one example of an effective nontraditional teaching model for science education. The academy has become an excellent work-based learning model and demonstrates how to collaborate and form partnerships successfully between school districts and the nonprofit/business world. From the Zoo Academy model, over 24 academy programs and five informal summer career camps have been developed and used with students in the Omaha Metropolitan area. This unique opportunity places students in a rich learning environment where they can make discoveries about the natural world and apply the knowledge gained to real-world situations.