Peninsula fourth-graders can get free passes to national parks
Published 12:01 am Friday, September 4, 2015
PORT ANGELES — Olympic National 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.
Fourth-graders across the nation can visit www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an activity and earn a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks.
The program began Tuesday.
“Olympic is a great place for kids and families to play, learn and explore together, and we’re excited to welcome fourth-graders and their families during this special centennial year,” said Sarah Creachbaum, Olympic National Park superintendent.
“Our rangers love visiting Olympic Peninsula fourth-grade classrooms every year during the Ecosystem Olympic program, and we’re looking forward to having them bring their families to visit us.”
The invitation is part of the National Park Service’s centennial celebration in 2016, said Jonathan B. Jarvis, National Park Service director. The Park Service was founded Aug. 25, 1916.
Olympic National Park offers a variety of activities for fourth-graders, such as becoming Olympic Junior Rangers or Ocean Stewards, visiting the park’s Discovery Room at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center at 3002 Mount Angeles Road or participating in ranger-led walks and activities.
To receive their free national parks pass, fourth-graders can visit the Every Kid in a Park website and play an online game.
When they have finished the game, they can access their free pass that they and their families can use for free entry to national parks and other federal public lands and waters across the nation through Aug. 31, 2016.
The website also includes learning activities, trip planning tools, safety and packing tips, and other information for educators and parents.
Fourth-grade educators, youth group leaders and their students also can participate in the program through field trips and other learning experiences.
During the park’s longstanding Ecosystem Olympic program, rangers visit every fourth-grade classroom on the Olympic Peninsula with hands-on learning activities that introduce students to the park and its opportunities for fun and exploration.
Classrooms that have participated in Ecosystem Olympic are also invited to take “A Walk in the Woods” and explore the forest ecosystem of Olympic National Park with park rangers.
Every Kid in a Park was launched by President Barack Obama and 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 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
