NPS Freeman Tilden Award Winner at Richmond Battlefield In 1998 our own Patrice Ferrell of Richmond National Battlefield Park received the Northeast Region's Freeman Tilden Award. Every year the National Park Service, in partnership with the National Parks and Conservation Association, presents this award. Freeman Tilden provided a philosophical basis for interpretation in his book Interpreting Our Heritage. This award was created in 1982 to stimulate and reward creative thinking and work by National Park Service employees which results in having positive impacts on the visiting public. Each National Park Service region nominates an employee who is judged on creativity, originality and positive contributions to enhancing the public's understanding of the National Park Service and the resources it protects. Pat received the award for creating "Penguins Across the USA", an innovative program which involves students in a journey through national parks through an adopted mascot. As a regional winner, Pat went to Alaska for the National Association for Interpretation Workshop. The workshop culminated in the announcement of the winner of the National Freeman Tilden award, among others. Although ultimately the national award went to Sally E. Griffin of Catoctin Mountain Park in the National Capital Region, for her interactive computer program presenting water quality issues of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, we are nonetheless very proud of Pat and the prestige her regional award brings to Richmond National Battlefield Park. As a final note, this year Pat was asked to help pick this year's Freeman Tilden award winner for the Northeast Region. Way to go, Pat! |
Last updated: February 26, 2015