Date: April 23, 2007
Contact: Outer Banks Group, (252) 473-2111
Outer Banks Group Superintendent Michael B. Murray invites children throughout the Outer Banks to take part in National Junior Ranger Day at their local National Park sites on Saturday, April 28, 2007. National Junior Ranger Day is part of this year’s commemoration of National Park Week.
“Becoming a Junior Ranger is a fun way for children to explore and learn more about the National Parks and how they can help protect these important sites,” stated Murray.
Along the Outer Banks, children can actually become three different kinds of junior rangers: a Seashore Ranger at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, a Flight Ranger at Wright Brothers National Memorial, and a Roanoke Ranger at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. Stop by one of the visitor centers located at these national park sites and pick up a Junior Ranger booklet to get started. These Junior Ranger programs are designed for ages 5 to 13.
At Cape Hatteras National Seashore, if children complete the workbook, they will earn a Junior Ranger badge. Booklets are available from any Seashore visitor center, at the Bodie Island Lighthouse, at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and near the ferry dock in Ocracoke Village.
Children can earn a Flight Ranger patch at Wright Brothers National Memorial when they complete their booklet and attend one ranger program.
When families visit Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, children can earn a Roanoke Ranger patch by attending a program and completing the booklet. Children may also become a Fort Raleigh Web Ranger and earn a Junior Ranger badge through the park’s website at https://www.nps.gov/fora. Children just need to print out the worksheets, fill them in with the answers and mail the worksheets to the park.
The North Carolina Beach Buggy Association, the First Flight Society and Eastern National assist the National Park Service in providing these Junior Ranger programs to the public.
Children who cannot visit a National Park site in person are invited to take part in the national “WebRangers” activities at www.nps.gov/webrangers. Kids who complete a National Park Week scavenger hunt between April 22 and 28 will earn a special certificate. On WebRangers, kids can explore more than 40 activities, view park webcams, and share their park stories and pictures.
