On Sept. 16, Lauren Keller witnessed the revealing of a new dinosaur replica at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center in Woodland Park. The dinosaur’s bones were discovered in Montana, but were then moved to Colorado for further research.  As this was a fairly new discovery, the dinosaur does not have a scientific name, but is instead nicknamed Ava after the Avasaurus. The skeleton was then molded to create the exact replica that is now displayed in the museum. This was truly a special experience for Keller, as she was able to obtain both a tour and a news interview.

“I was just there at the right time,” said Keller, 10.

She had arrived just in time for a scheduled tour, even though she had not originally planned to attend it. Not only did she get to take a free tour, she also was interviewed by the KRDO news network.

In the interview with KRDO, Keller said, “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m blessed I got to see it.”

For Keller, this was an exciting experience, and gave her a glimpse into a possible future as a paleontologist.