Lewis and Clark Trail Junior Ranger Program wins the National Freeman Tilden Award

2022 Freeman Tilden Award Winner, Caitlin Campbell, shows off the Lewis and Clark Trail Junior Ranger program outside of trail headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska.

Photo: NPS

The Lewis and Clark Trail Junior Ranger program is available at more than 30 partnering locations in 13 states.

Image: NPS

About this article: This article was originally published in the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Annual Report 2022.

Caitlin Campbell (center) was recognized in Washington, D.C. by NPS Director Chuck Sams (left) and Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior Tommy Beaudreau (right).

Photo: NPS

In 2022, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Specialist Caitlin Campbell won the Freeman Tilden Award, the highest award presented to a National Park Service individual to recognize outstanding contributions to the profession of interpretation. Campbell was recognized for her work on the Lewis and Clark Trail Junior Ranger program, a free activity booklet that kids can complete to earn a Junior Ranger badge.

Inclusiveness, collaboration, and accessibility were highlights of the program. The Junior Ranger booklet begins not with an uncharted wilderness, but with a continent bustling with Native trade, art, and technology. Activities highlight the diverse backgrounds and skills of Lewis and Clark Expedition members and the expedition’s reliance on Tribal nations. Accessible, innovative features—including audio-described read along videos, a Native names online guide, and tactile maps—boost engagement for all.

Audio-described read along videos are fun for all but particularly useful for blind and low-vision participants.

Photo: NPS

We thank Vivian Henry, Hasan Davis, Loren Yellow Bird Sr., Alisha Deegan, Israel Sanchez, Mandan Hidatsa Arikara (MHA) Language Project, Nez Perce Language Program, Chinuk Wawa Education Program, Shoshoni Language Project, Lakota Language Consortium, the Myaamia Center at Miami University, Ray Bloomer, and Michele Hartley for their contributions to this program.

Duration:

2 minutes, 31 seconds

The Lewis and Clark Trail Junior Ranger program is available at more than 30 locations in 13 states across the U.S. Meet a few of our partners who host the program across the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail!