Date: February 15, 2007
Contact: Josie Fernandez, 501-623-2824
Contact: Gail Sears, 501-620-6701

The Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute’s “What’s Up Docs” program will have a National Park Service flair this year to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the establishment of the pre-cursor of Hot Springs National Park.

Executive Director Malinda Herr-Chambliss announced that the April 11-13 documentary film program will focus on children's documentaries, aimed at kindergarten thru 6th grade levels and all participants will have an opportunity to earn a Hot Springs National Park Junior Ranger badge.

“The success with our "What's Up Docs?" children's festival is due to the collaboration with our state and city school officials so that the school systems know about this wonderful, free, educational opportunity for their students. For many students, this is their only exposure to the documentary genre,” said Herr-Chambliss.

“This year we are proud to partner with Hot Springs National Park during their 175th anniversary, and it is an honor,” she said.

So far, more than 400 children are already signed up for this year’s “What’s Up Docs” April 11-13 and that number will swell to 800 by April. The park’s official celebration follows on April 20-21.

“When we pitched the idea to Malinda, she was in,” said Josie Fernandez, Hot Springs National Park superintendent.

“From the start, our focus for the 175th anniversary celebration has been children and impressing upon them the ethic of conservation and preservation of historical and natural resources,” Fernandez said. “We also committed to celebrating in partnership with many community groups by thematically linking our events so the festivities would last throughout the year,” Fernandez said.

“In the case of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute, the fit was a perfect one: why not expose the children to the national parks through film and make our Junior Ranger program a component of that experience?” Fernandez added. “This is our invitation for our partners to celebrate in the way they do best and have fun while focusing on what Hot Springs National Park represents,” she said.

The junior ranger program offers children the opportunity to join the National Park Service family as Junior Rangers. Interested students complete a series of activities during their park visit, share their answers with a park ranger, and receive an official Junior Ranger badge or patch and Junior Ranger certificate.

“Junior Ranger programs are designed to provide participants with the flexibility to see and interact with the park at their own pace and within the limits of their own time,” Fernandez explained.

Hot Springs Reservation was established by act of Congress to protect the 47 hot springs in the area. The Legislation was signed by President Andrew Jackson on April 20, 1832. This Act precedes the establishment of the Department of the Interior in 1849 and the designation of Yellowstone as a national park in 1872. The reservation was eventually renamed Hot Springs National Park in 1921, thus becoming America’s 18th national park but nevertheless, it remains the first protected area in the nation.

For more information on the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute's "What's Up Docs?" complete film schedule, visit their website at www.hsdfi.org or call the institute at 501-321-4747.

For more information about the 175th anniversary and National Park Week, please call 501-624-2701.