DAILY NEWS PEOPLE : DANTE CALVO.Byline: - Andrea Hescheles One Saturday a couple of years ago, Dante Calvo was watching the television program ``Wild About Animals'' when he saw something that captured his attention. ``There was this one guy in Costa Rica Costa Rica (kŏs`tə rē`kə), officially Republic of Costa Rica, republic (2005 est. pop. 4,016,000), 19,575 sq mi (50,700 sq km), Central America. , he had a reserve specifically for the margay margay a wild cat about the size of a domestic cat which preys on small domestic animals and birds. Called also Panthera tigrina, American tiger cat. cats, who are endangered because of their fur coat,'' said Calvo. ``Ever since then, that's what I really want to do.'' Calvo wants to move to Costa Rica one day and have his own animal reserve, where animals will be free to roam over huge tracts of land without the threat of attack. ``I want whatever animals are endangered or injured in·jure tr.v. in·jured, in·jur·ing, in·jures 1. To cause physical harm to; hurt. 2. To cause damage to; impair. 3. ,'' says Calvo. At the Los Angeles Zoo The Los Angeles Zoo founded in 1966, is a large zoo located in Los Angeles, California, USA. The Zoo, located in Los Angeles' Griffith Park, is home to 1,200 animals from around the world. , where Calvo volunteers, student volunteers are required to commit to a minimum of 40 hours per year for two years. But Calvo has already clocked in more than the required amount and plans to keep going back. His reason is simple. He just loves animals. AGE: 15 RESIDENCE: North Hollywood. BORN AND RAISED IN: Born in Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. ; raised in the Valley. OCCUPATION: Junior at North Hollywood High School North Hollywood High School, originally called Lankershim High School when it opened in 1927, is a secondary school in North Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. The school mascot is the husky, and the school colors are blue, white, grey. . VOLUNTEERISM: Dante Calvo is a student volunteer at the Los Angeles Zoo. Student volunteers are ``volunteer teachers'' who share their knowledge of the zoo with children and families. Volunteers play a vital role in the success of both public and special events. ``I've been volunteering at the zoo since March of 1998. I go twice a month. I give tours, I do crowd control.'' HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED?: ``My parents are members at the zoo and they mail you a newsletter and I was reading the newsletter and I just saw an opportunity to volunteer there.'' WHY DO YOU VOLUNTEER?: ``I've always had an interest in animals. I like the zoo. It's fun and it's local.'' MOST DIFFICULT DAILY TASK: ``Homework and cleaning.'' FAVORITE DAILY TASK: ``My favorite My Favorite is an independent synthpop band from Long Island, New York. They released two CDs: Love at Absolute Zero and Happiest Days of Our Lives. My Favorite broke up on September 14, 2005, when singer Andrea Vaughn left the band. daily task on Saturdays is going to the zoo. My favorite thing to do is working in the marmoset marmoset (mär`məzĕt'), name for many of the small, squirrellike New World monkeys of the family Callithricidae. Members of this family are all found in tropical South America, with one species found also in Central America. (monkey) colony.'' BIGGEST DILEMMA ``My biggest dilemma is that I don't get enough sleep. I'm always tired and I'm especially tired in the morning.'' GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: ``My greatest accomplishment was in junior high school when I won the Science Fair.'' GOALS FOR THE FUTURE: ``I want to have a small reserve in Costa Rica for animals. I would definitely live there. My long-term goal is also to perhaps go to college.'' ROLE MODELS: ``My role model is Jane Goodall Noun 1. Jane Goodall - English zoologist noted for her studies of chimpanzees in the wild (born in 1934) Goodall . I look up to her. Jane Goodall is my idol. I've been to a few of her lectures. I've gotten to meet her and I have her autograph.'' HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?: ``Success is how close a person gets to their dreams. Success is being able to reach your own goals.'' VALLEY HANGOUTS: ``Church. I'm a church boy. The movies and the Burbank Media Center.'' FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: ``I love animals, so anything that has to do with animals. I like football - but for fun, not team sports. I don't like the pressure that's put on you. I also like swimming.'' WHAT WOULD BE A PERFECT DAY FOR YOU?: ``A perfect day would have to be hiking through some rain forest.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: no caption (Dante Calvo) Eric Grigorian/Special to the Daily News |
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