Special to The TIMES
Pea Ridge National Military Park invites all fourth-grade students to visit the park for free as part of the White House's new Every Kid in a Park program. Starting Sept. 3, fourth-grade students can now go to www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an activity and obtain a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks.
"During the National Park Service's centennial celebration, we want everyone to get to know their national parks, and we're offering a special invitation to fourth graders and their families to discover everything that national parks offer," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "We hope these free passes for fourth graders will introduce fourth- graders, their classes, and families to our national treasures, places where they can run and play, explore and learn."
"Pea Ridge National Military Park is a great place for fourth-grade students and families to ride bikes, learn about the American Civil War, hike through woods and fields, watch an artillery program, visit the Elkhorn Tavern, earn a Junior Ranger badge or just enjoy the peace and quiet of the great outdoors" Kevin Eads, superintendent, said . "I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to come out and enjoy, learn and explore the park with your families and friends and celebrate the National Park Service Centennial with us."
To receive their free pass for national parks, fourth graders can visit the Every Kid in a Park website and play a game to access their special Every Kid in a Park pass. Fourth graders and their families can then use this pass for free entry to national parks and other federal public lands and waters across the country from Sept. 1, 2015, through Aug. 31, 2016. The website also includes fun and engaging learning activities aligned to educational standards, trip planning tools, safety and packing tips and other important and helpful information for educators and parents.
In addition to providing every fourth grader in America a free entry pass for national parks and federal public lands and waters, fourth-grade educators, youth group leaders and their students across the country will also participate in the program through field trips and other learning experiences.
The goal of the Every Kid in a Park program is to connect fourth-graders with the great outdoors and inspire them to become future environmental stewards, ready to preserve and protect national parks and other public lands for years to come. The program is an important part of the National Park Service's centennial celebration in 2016, which encourages everyone to Find Your Park.
Every Kid in a Park is an administrative-wide effort, launched by President Obama, and supported by eight federal agencies, including the National Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Education, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Community on 09/09/2015