Cape Lookout National Seashore Launches Second Year of Every Kid in a Park Pass Fourth Graders and their Families Eligible for Free Access to Public Lands and Waters Nationwide

Date: September 6, 2016
Contact: B.G. Horvat, 252-728-2250, ext. 3014

Harkers Island, NC-Cape Lookout National Seashoreencourages all fourth graders to visit the park this year as part of the Every Kid in a Park program. The program gives fourth grade students, and those accompanying them, free access to more than 2,000 public lands and waters nationwide for a year. Visit www.EveryKidinaPark.gov to download the pass and get more information.

Park Superintendent Pat Kenney said, "There's so much to discover at Cape Lookout, and we're excited to welcome fourth graders and their families throughout the year. We hope that our young visitors learn and have fun in the great outdoors and develop a lifelong connection to our nation's land, water and wildlife."

The Every Kid in a Park pass –which features a new design for this year's students –is valid for a full calendar year starting September 1. The pass grants free entry for fourth graders and up to three accompanying adults (or an entire car for drive-in parks) to most federally managed lands and waters, including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and marine sanctuaries.

The newly expanded Every Kid in a Park website has links to educational activities, trip planning, field trip options, the downloadable pass, and additional information in both English and Spanish. After completing a fun educational activity, the child can download and print a pass. The paper pass can be traded for a more durable pass at participating federal sites nationwide.

Every Kid in a Park is part of President Obama's commitment to protect our nation's unique outdoor spaces and ensure that every American has the opportunity to visit and enjoy them. The program, now entering its second year, is a call to action for children to experience America's spectacular outdoors, rich history and culture.

Every Kid in a Park is a crucial component of a multi-pronged approach to inspire the next generation to discover all that our nation's public lands and waters have to offer, including opportunities to be active, spend time with friends and family, and serve as living classrooms to build critical skills.

The Every Kid in a Park program is an Administration-wide effort between the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Army, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The program continues each year with the then-current group of fourth graders. After 12 years, every school-age child in America will have had an opportunity to visit their public land and waters for free, inspiring the next generation to be stewards of our nation's shared natural and cultural heritage.

The Harkers Island Visitor Center (HIVC) and the Island Express Ferry Service gateway to Cape Lookout Lighthouse and Shackleford Banks are located at 1800 Island Road, Harkers Island, North Carolina. The HIVC is open daily, 9:00 a.m. –5:00 p.m. The Beaufort Visitor Information Center (BVIC) is located at 701 Front Street in Beaufort, North Carolina. The BVIC is open daily, 8:30 a.m. –5:00 p.m.

For more information, please visit www.everykidinapark.gov and follow the program on Twitter @everykidinapark, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. For additional information about Cape Lookout National Seashore, please visit www.nps.gov/calo.