Lake Clark National Park Welcomes Youth and Students through Every Kid in a Park Initiative

Students from Nondalton Village display traditional Dena'ina salmon spears made as part of a youth day camp.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: September 2, 2015

Contact: Megan Richotte, 907-644-3639

Port Alsworth, AK –Lake Clark National Park and Preserve invites youth of all ages to visit.Nationally, all 4^th grade students have a special opportunity to visit parks as part of the White House's new Every Kid in a Park program. Fourth grade students can now go to www.everykidoutdoors.gov to complete an activity and obtain a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks. Lake Clark National Park does not have an entrance fee and the park has outstanding opportunities for youth and families to spend time together camping, fishing, hiking, kayaking, bear-viewing, or becoming Junior Rangers in a remote and spectacular park.

"Youth recreating in America's great outdoors is a transformative experience.For many people, recreational experiences as children provide the foundation for a lifetime of joy in experiencing all that nature offers," said Superintendent Margaret L. Goodro.Rangers are available by phone or email to help families plan the trip a lifetime visiting Lake Clark National Park. Information can be found at nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit.

"During the National Park Service's centennial celebration, we want everyone to get to know their national parks, and we're offering a special invitation to fourth graders and their families to discover everything that national parks offer," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "We hope these free passes for fourth graders will introduce 4^th graders, their classes, and families to our national treasures, places where they can run and play, explore and learn."

Lake Clark National Park offers a variety of programs that youth of all ages and their families can enjoy.Weekly summer Junior Ranger Programs at the Lake Clark Visitor Center in Port Alsworth feature hands-on, fun, and exploratory activities.Junior Ranger discovery workbooks are also available every day of the year for children thorough-out the park.

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 to 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.

In addition to providing every fourth grader in America a free entry pass for national parks and federal public lands and waters, fourth grade educators, youth group leaders and their students across the country will also participate in the program through field trips and other learning experiences.

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.

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