Every Kid in a Park

News Release Date: September 2, 2015

Contact: Ted Stout, 208-527-1335

Craters of the Moon invites all 4^th grade students to visit the park for free as part of the White House's new Every Kid in a Park program. Starting September 1, 4^th grade students can now go to www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an activity and obtain a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks.

"We invite 4^th graders and their families to visit the 'Moon' and the other national treasures that make up the National Park System as we celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016," said Craters of the Moon Superintendent Daniel George. "We hope that these free passes will encourage 4^th graders, their classes, and families to climb a volcano, explore a lava tube cave, and experience everything that the national parks have to offer."

Craters of the Moon offers a variety of activities that fourth graders and their families can enjoy, including guided walks through lava tube caves in summer, snowshoe walks in winter, educational field trips, and an opportunity to earn a "Lunar Ranger" patch by completingactivities in a free booklet available at the visitor center.

To receive their free pass for national parks, fourth graders can visit the Every Kid in a Park website and play a game to access their special Every Kid in a Park pass. Fourth graders and their families can then use this pass for free entry national parks and other federal public lands and waters across the country from September 1st, 2015 through August 31, 2016.The website also includes fun and engaging learning activities aligned to educational standards, trip planning tools, safety and packing tips and other important and helpful information for educators and parents.

The goal of the Every Kid in a Park program is to connect 4th graders with the great outdoors and inspire them to become future environmental stewards, ready to preserve and protect national parks and other public lands for years to come.The program is an important part of the National Park Service's centennial celebration in 2016, which encourages everyone to Find Your Park.

Every Kid in a Park is an administrative-wide effort, launched by President Obama, and supported by eight federal agencies, including the National Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Education, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.