News Release

Great Basin National Park Foundation to launch new educational programs with grant funding

Date: December 20, 2024
Contact: Travis Mason-Bushman, [phone]

BAKER, NV – The Great Basin National Park Foundation will boost educational programs and capacity with $110,000 in grants awarded by the National Park Foundation. These grants represent a major investment in GBNPF, the nonprofit partner of Great Basin National Park. One grant is designated for capacity building, aiding the implementation of GBNPF's new strategic plan, while the other supports an innovative educational pilot program. 

Foundation leads park’s educational programming 

Over the past eight years, GBNPF has expanded the reach of Great Basin National Park through educational initiatives, impacting over 1,000 elementary and middle school students across Nevada and Utah annually. This new funding will further enhance their efforts, allowing them to develop and deliver programs that deepen students' connections to the natural world. 

The NPF, the official nonprofit partner of America’s 429 national parks, has a long history of fostering connections between students and these treasured landscapes. Through its Open OutDoors for Kids program, GBNPF has introduced millions of elementary students, particularly 4th graders, to the unique natural and cultural history of national parks.  

Recognizing the success of the elementary school focus, NPF is now exploring similar opportunities for middle school students. GBNPF’s middle school education and outreach programs attracted particular interest.  

“Incorporating experts and university professors into our classroom programs has been key to our success with middle schools,” GBNPF Executive Director Aviva O’Neil said. “By partnering with professionals in the field, we provide in-depth learning experiences that inspire students to see themselves as scientists and foster a deeper connection to the place they live.” 

Connecting research to the classroom 

For the past four years, GBNPF has collaborated with academic experts from the University of Nevada, Reno, and Southern Utah University to bring specialized knowledge on topics such as astronomy, scientific research, and dark sky preservation into middle and high school classrooms. 

This NPF investment will enable GBNPF to develop new curricula focused on apex predators and threatened species within the Great Basin ecosystem. A five-year, multi-agency research study on the Great Basin mountain lion is currently underway, aiming to document and understand the ecological impact of this apex predator on the region. This study offers a unique opportunity for middle and high school students throughout Nevada and Utah to engage in real-time science with tangible consequences for resource management and conservation. 

With this funding, GBNPF plans to connect middle and high school students and teachers to ongoing research, park scientists, and the intricate ecological web of the Great Basin. The new project will equip students to interpret data sets, interact with subject matter experts and field scientists, and engage in thoughtful discussions about the effects of human-wildlife interactions on ecosystem management. 

Middle and high school teachers in Nevada or Utah are invited to join the pilot cohort of this program. To express your interest and learn more, please send an email to [e-mail]. 

www.nps.gov 

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 433 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.