Haleakala National Park is participating in a national program that invites all fourth grade students to visit the park for free. The goal of the White House’s new 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.
Details about the program, which launched on Sept. 1, 2015, can be found at Everykindinapark.gov. When a fourth grade student visits the website, they can complete an activity or play a game to obtain a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks such as Haleakala. Fourth graders and their families can then use this pass for free entry to national parks and other federal public lands and waters from now through Aug. 31, 2016. The website also includes learning activities, trip planning tools, safety and packing tips and other important and helpful information for educators and parents.
“We hope the free passes will introduce fourth graders, their classes, and families to the national treasures found at Haleakala, especially as we celebrate the Centennials of both this national park and the National Park Service,” said park superintendent Natalie Gates.
Haleakala National Park offers a variety of activities that fourth graders and their families can enjoy, including its new Junior Ranger Activity Guide, guided hikes, cultural demonstrations and talks. Fourth grade is the focus of this initiative as it’s the year most school districts study local and state history, according to a Sept. 2 National Park press release.
In addition to this new fourth grade pass, Haleakala National Park offers a variety of recently revised curriculum-based activities, lesson plans, and educational fee waivers for other grades and educational groups. For more information, please visit the park’s Education webpage at Nps.gov/hale/learn/index.htm.
Every Kid in a Park, launched by President Barack Obama, is 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 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Photo courtesy of Haleakala National Park
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