In late May 2009, Fire Island National Seashore Deputy Superintendent Sean McGuinness started to distribute the newly finished Centennial Challenge wayside panels to their destinations.

Latest Updates:

• National Park Service  2008 Centennial Challenge: Economic Stimulus Examples and Park Project Summaries  (November 20, 2008)
• • Fire Island National Seashore's 2008 Centennial Challenge Project is described on page 42
• The National Park Service Centennial Initiative 2008 Progress Report (February 2009) 

In celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016, America invites the world to discover the meaning of national parks to their lives and inspires people to both experience and become devoted to these special places.

On August 25, 2006—the 90^th anniversary of the National Park Service—Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne launched the National Park Centennial Initiative to prepare national parks for another century of conservation, preservation and enjoyment. Since then the National Park Service asked citizens, park partners, experts and other stakeholders what they envisioned for a second century of national parks.

A nationwide series of more than 40 listening sessions produced more than 6,000 comments that helped to shape five centennial goals. The goals and vision were presented to President Bush and to the American people on May 31^st in a report called The Future of America’s National Parks.

Every national park staff took their lead from this report and created local centennial strategies to describe their vision and desired accomplishments by 2016. This is just the first year, and there are many great things to come as the National Park Service prepares to celebrate 100 years!

• Fire Island National Seashore
  Centennial Strategy
  
• Fire Island National Seashore's 2008 Centennial Challenge Proposal: Wayside Exhibits with Park Partners/Communities
• • Learn more through August 23, 2007 press release
    
• Fire Island National Seashore's 2008 Centennial Challenge Project accepted for funding: Wayside Exhibits at Kismet, Fire Island Pines, Watch Hill
• • See April 24, 2008 press release
  • Listen to the 4/23/2008 podcast and view photos as Secretary of the Interior Kempthorne announces first round of National Park Centennial Projects     

To keep up with the Centennial Initiative and to experience the interactive version of The Future of America’s National Parks and special features please visit the centennial website at www.nps.gov/2016.