Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments Welcome 4th Grade Students Through Every Kid In a Park Initiative

Date: August 21, 2015
Contact: Joseph Reynolds, 928-567-3322 x227

National Park ServiceNews Release

For Immediate Release –august 21, 2015
Joseph reynolds, lead visitor use assistant, MOCA/TUZI, 928-567-3322 x227

Camp Verde, AZ –Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments

Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments Welcome 4^th Grade Students Through Every Kid In a Park Initiative

New National Program Encourages Families and Classes to Visit National Parks

Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments invites all 4^th grade students to visit the parks for free, as part of the White House's new "Every Kid in a Park" program. Starting September 1, 2015, 4^th grade students can now go to www.doi.gov/everykid  to complete an activity and obtain a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks.

"We are looking forward to hosting as many of the 4th graders and their families as are able to visit our historical parks," said Dorothy FireCloud, Montezuma Castle/Tuzigoot National Monuments Superintendent.

"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 4^th 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 4^th graders will introduce 4^th graders, their classes, and families to our national treasures, places where they can run and play, explore and learn."

To receive their free pass for national parks, 4^th 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 1^st, 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 4^th grader in America a free entry pass for national parks and federal public lands and waters, 4^th grade educators, youth group leaders and their students across the country can 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 4^th 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 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.

The National Park Service celebrates its 100th Anniversary in 2016. Over 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 408 national parks and monuments and create close-to-home recreational and cultural opportunities.

Montezuma Castle is located off Interstate 17, exit 289, 2800 N. Montezuma Castle Highway. The trail is a 1/3-mile, flat, paved loop that is accessible to wheelchairs, strollers, and walkers. For additional information, call the Montezuma Castle Visitor Center at 928-567-3322, extension 0.

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