The Every Kid in a Park initiative, launched by President Obama, was created with the hope that all children get the opportunity to visit and explore the outdoors. Beginning in September, every fourth-grader in the nation will receive an “Every Kid in a Park,” pass that is good for a free family-admission pass to every national park for one full year.
With children spending less and less time outside, and more time indoors in front of a television screen, the Every Kid in a Park initiative was designed to help get kids out and moving while experiencing the natural beauty of America. The program will help families and schools arrange field trips and cover transportation costs. To help pay for this program, President Obama requested new funding in the proposed FY 2016 budget, and the National Park Foundation will expand its program to award transportation grants.
To create a more inclusive learning experience, the National Park Service is launching a revised educational portal that will feature more than 1,000 materials developed to coincide with Every Kid in a Park. The materials will include lesson plans, field trip guides, and science labs for teachers K-12. Existing tools will also be utilized, such as the Hands on the Land program, a national network that connects families, teachers, volunteers, and students with public parks and waterways. The hope is with the utilization of these tools, that children will be encouraged to become lifelong learners inside and outside of the classroom.
Every Kid in a Park was announced with the development of three new national monuments: The Pullman National Monument, Browns Canyon National Monument and the Honouliuli National Monument. These three monuments were created with the goal of permanently protecting unique sites to a state’s history, and giving the next generation of leaders a chance to explore National history. The Pullman National Monument will allow kids in Chicago to learn about the 20th century labor and civil rights movement. Browns Canyon National Monument will allow children to see the wonder of the landscape in Colorado, and the Honouliuli Monument in Hawaii will give kids a new perspective on our value of civil rights.
Transform Consulting Group applauds this initiative to get youth and their families out and about and learning about this nation’s rich heritage. For more information on how to help your organization maximize its community impact, contact us today!
