AUBURN - Why would a lizard need a blue tongue?

Eighth-graders at West Middle School learned the answer to that question and other facts about animals during a special school assembly Monday. At the same time, they learned a little more about a passion held by their late classmate.

Zoo to You, a traveling educational program through Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, showed snakes, birds, lizards and other creatures to students and spoke about the animals during an interactive presentation in the school auditorium.

The event was sponsored by the family of Joscelyn Barry, a classmate of the attendees and avid animal-lover who died last November.

Joscelyn's family recently started a scholarship program in her name that will allow disadvantaged youth to participate in the zoo's annual summer camp, which she attended.

Kathy Barry, Joscelyn's mother, said the assembly was organized as a way to thank her daughter's friends and classmates for the support they showed the family.

When the zoo recently dedicated a pair of benches installed in memory of Joscelyn, a surprising amount of her classmates attended the ceremony, Kathy said.

West Middle School seventh graders also raised almost $1,000 by selling tickets to a Halloween dance and donated it for a different scholarship that will be given in her name.

“We don't want them to forget about her,” said Kathy, who attended the assembly. “This is one way to let the students know how we appreciate the support they have given us.”

The benches at the zoo were installed to face the tigers, Joscelyn's favorite animals.

During the program, Zoo to You speakers brought out Pigwidgeon, an eastern screech owl that was partially blinded after it was hit by a motorcycle. The owl can turn its head in almost three quarters of a circle to spot prey, one speaker said.

Presenters also showed a blue-tongued skink. When the lizard is threatened by a predator, it shows its bright tongue in order to fool the attacker. In nature, bright colors often mean an animal is poisonous.

After the assembly, eighth grader Alexandria Williams said her favorite animal was Max, a red-lored Amazon parrot. But she said she also learned a lot about her late classmate.

“It shows us a lot about what she was involved with,” said Alexandria, 13.

Steve Barry, Joscelyn's father, had never watched the zoo's educational program before Monday. He said he hoped that the program might inspire a young person with similar interests to his daughter's.

“By the time she was 10, she told us she wanted to study life science and be a zookeeper,” Steve said. “She had already picked her college - Cornell.”

Liz Schmidt is the educational coordinator at the zoo and was one of the event's speakers. Schmidt also organizes the zoo's camps, and remembers how much Joscelyn loved the animals. She was one of the only students to actually take notes at camp, Schmidt said.

Schmidt said the camp scholarships will help foster the interests of other students like Joscelyn.

“The camp is unique because kids get to be immersed in the zoo,” she said. “It is amazing that we will be able to offer opportunities for kids to attend who would not have them otherwise.”

Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.