My City September 2021

MYPASSION

W agner now teaches eighth community members. Her mission is to help kids get comfortable with a variety of species in an interactive way. “I always knew I would work with animals,” Wagner admits. When she was in the 11th grade, she went to the Genesee Skill Center and took a class about business etiquette. The assignment was to create a business plan, which was when her vision for No Two Stripes Alike (N2SA) was born. Did you know that no two tigers have the same stripes? According to Wagner, tiger stripes are like human fingerprints and no two animals have markings in the same pattern.This is the meaning behind the name of her business. And, her goal is eventually to get a tiger! N2SA currently houses 12 creatures – turtles, a small alligator, snakes, spiders and more – that she takes to various community events to interact with the public. “We offer a wide variety of experiences,” the zoologist says. It is her belief that hands-on experiences help humans better understand animals and their needs. Wagner currently houses most of the creatures at her home and the larger ones in a space that will soon be opened to the public. In its five years, N2SA has hosted many annual events. “I actually came out of the grade students at Genesee Stem Academy in Flint and is the founder and owner of No Two Stripes Alike, a company that allows her to use her passion for animals and reptiles to educate

m

“I alWAyS kNew I woULd woRk WitH anIMalS.”

32

MYCITYMAG.COM