Junior Rangers and Sea Stars

Children between the ages of six and eleven can become a Gulf Islands National Seashore Junior Ranger. Ask for information from a park ranger at the temporary visitor's contact center Ocean Springs, Mississippi. You can view the Mississippi District Junior Ranger booklet with this link: www.nps.gov/guis/MSJR/MSJUNIOR.pdf

Activities
To participate in the Junior Ranger program, children must attend four different ranger-led programs and have a park ranger sign the blue scorecard after each program. A monthly schedule of activities is available at the visitor center.

Identification
Children must identify ten resources that Gulf Islands National Seashore protects. These resources include plants, animals, and historic objects. Fill in the scorecard and have a park ranger initial it. The ranger will ask why it is important to protect the Seashore's resources.

Service Project
You must devote two or more hours of service to an environmental project. Submit your written project description to a park ranger for prior approval. Possible project ideas include: walking nature trails and picking up litter, designing artwork for a park bulletin board, write a special report or create a poster.

When all the requirements are met and the scorecard is complete, return it to a park ranger or mail it to: Gulf Islands National Seashore, 3500 Park Road, Ocean Springs, Mississippi, 39564. You will then be recognized as a JUNIOR RANGER and receive a special Gulf Islands National Seashore Junior Ranger badge and certificate. You can also purchase a junior ranger patch at the temporary visitor's contact center.

SEASHORE "SEA STARS"

Each summer future Junior Rangers can become a "Sea Star". To receive a Sea Star Certificate, children between the ages of three and five can attend four park programs, and have a park volunteer or ranger sign the green scorecard after each program. Program schedules are available at the temporary visitor's contact center.

For more information write to: Gulf Islands National Seashore, 3500 Park Road, Ocean Springs, Mississippi 39564 or call (228) 875-0074.

Last Updated: 1/6/03
Webmaster Gulf Islands
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