News Release

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Receives Field Trip Grant from the National Park Foundation for 2018-2019 School Year

4th grade students from Cesar Chavez School on a field trip to Fort Vancouver last spring, an educational opportunity which was partially funded by grants received for the 2017-2018 school year.

Photo: Ordella Reynolds / Cesar Chavez School

News Release Date: September 26, 2018

Contact: Theresa Langford, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, [phone]

Contact: Tracy Fortmann, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, [phone]

Contact: Alanna Sobel, National Park Foundation, [phone]

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site will receive a field trip grant for the 2018-2019 school year from the National Park Foundation, the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service. This $15,000 grant will reimburse the costs of transportation for Title I fourth grade class field trips to this national park.

This grant is part of the Foundation’s Open OutDoors for Kids program which creates pathways for kids to explore and connect with national park experiences, and is administered locally by the Friends of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

“Trekking along trails, observing our natural ecosystems and engaging with our shared history are experiences that benefit all children,” said National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth. “Making it possible for America’s youth to explore our national parks is an investment in their future and the future of the national parks community.”

Park Superintendent Tracy Fortmann said, "There's so much to discover at Fort Vancouver! We typically welcome over 20,000 students on field trips each year. However, we know that not all schools can easily afford to come here even though we waive fees for all educational groups. This grant will help bring students from Title I schools to learn and have fun, and develop a lifelong connection to our nation's history. This is the third grant we have received from the National Park Foundation in support of this program, and we are very grateful that last year we were able to reimburse transportation costs for over 4,000 fourth grade students."
 
During their time on site, the focus is on a place-based learning program called “Talk of the Trade,” which is aligned to the upper elementary state history curriculum. During this program, students explore the historic site through the eyes of a fur trader of mixed ethnicity. Interactive elements include learning vocabulary of Chinook Jargon, the common language of the multicultural fur trade, how early trade and barter systems worked in a region with no currency, the environmental effects of fur extraction, and how people from many different backgrounds lived here together. After their field trip, the students may complete a curriculum packet (developed by staff from the park and from the local Educational Service District) that uses archaeology and material culture as a lens for investigating the past.
 
"It is extremely rewarding to help host an increasing number of students at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. The Friends are gratified to know that this boost in transportation coverage encourages more children and their families to learn and enjoy the many rewards found at this site," said Mary Rose, Executive Director of the Friends of Fort Vancouver.

For the full list of grantees and their projects, click here.

About the National Park Foundation

Celebrating 50 years, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and ENGAGE the next generation of park stewards. In 2016, commemorating the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary, the Foundation launched The Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks, a comprehensive fundraising campaign to strengthen and enhance the future of these national treasures for the next hundred years. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.