Fourth Graders and their Families Eligible for Free Access to Public Lands and Waters Nationwide

Date: September 19, 2016
Contact: Denise Germann, 307 690 1752

All fourth graders are invited to visit Grand Teton National Park for free this year as part of the national Every Kid in a Park program. The program gives fourth grade students, and those accompanying them, free access to public lands and waters nationwide for a year, including sites of the National Park Service.

Superintendent David Vela is excited to welcome fourth graders and their families throughout the year.  "There's so much to discover at Grand Teton National Park.Hopefully our young visitors visit with their families and develop a lifelong connection to the park and our nation's land, water and wildlife."

Students must visit www.EveryKidinaPark.gov to download the pass and get more information. The pass features a new design this year and is valid through August 2017.The pass allows free entry for fourth graders and up to three accompanying adults or an entire car 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 should be traded for a more durable pass at participating federal sites nationwide, including the entrance stations and backcountry permit offices at Grand Teton National Park.

Fourth-grade teachers and their students are encouraged to use the park's unique ecosystem as their classroom.In addition to free entry, Grand Teton National Park offers snow science and geology field trips specifically for fourth graders. For classrooms that can't visit the park in person, the park's education team offers distance learning programs including "Snow Desk: Every Snowflake Counts" and "Ranger Careers: Behind the Flat Hat." Fourth grade teachers can work with park staff to help their students earn the Every Kid in a Park pass. For more information about educational offerings, visit https://www.nps.gov/grte/learn/education/for-teachers.htm.

Grand Teton National Park education rangers will attend parent night at Colter Elementary on Wednesday, September 21, to present information about opportunities for students, including information about how parents can help their fourth grader earn the Every Kid in a Park pass and how the pass works.

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, Department of Agriculture, Department of the Army, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

A goal of the program is to inspire the next generation to be stewards of our nation's shared natural and cultural heritage.For more information, please visit www.EveryKidinaPark.gov and follow the program on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. For additional information about Grand Teton National Park, please visit www.nps.gov/grte.