Date: September 4, 2015
Contact: Jodi Rupp, 435-719-2240
Arches and Canyonlands national parks and Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments are proud to help launch the Every Kid in a Park program, 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 Every Kid in a Park program was launched September 1, 2015 and provides fourth graders nationwide an opportunity to visit the new Every Kid in a Park website to obtain a pass that provides free access for these students and their families to all federally managed lands and waters –including national parks, forests and wildlife refuges. The pass is valid for the 2015-2016 school year and grants free entry for fourth graders and three accompanying adults (or an entire car for drive-in parks) at more than 2,000 federally-managed sites.
Kate Cannon, Superintendent of the Southeast Utah Group of parks, shares "There are so many wonderful places to explore and things to discover in these special places, and we're excited to welcome fourth graders and their families to Arches, Canyonlands, Hovenweep, and Natural Bridges throughout the school year. We hope our young visitors have a great time in the outdoors and develop a lifelong connection to, and affection for, our nation's public lands."
Leading up to the 100th birthday of the National Park Service in 2016, President Obama launched the Every Kid in a Park initiative earlier this year as a call to action to get all children to experience America's great outdoors. Today, more than 80 percent of American families live in urban areas, and many lack easy access to outdoor spaces. At the same time, youth are spending more hours than ever in front of screens instead of outside.
Fourth graders can log onto the website www.everykidinapark.gov and complete an educational activity in order to obtain and print their voucher. Students can also trade in their paper voucher for an official Every Kid in a Park pass at participating federal sites nationwide.
Educators and community leaders can access educational activities, field trip options, and the ability to print passes for their classrooms. Parents visiting the new website can find additional links for more information on planning trips to nearby public lands.
Every Kid in a Park is an important component of a multi-faceted approach aimed at inspiring the next generation of Americans to discover all that our nation's public lands and waters have to offer…..including opportunities to be physically active, spend time with friends and family, and serve as classrooms to learn about our country's natural and cultural landscapes and history.
The Every Kid in a Park program is an Administration-wide effort managed in partnership with the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Education, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
For more information, please visit www.everykidinapark.gov, and follow the program on Twitter @everykidinapark, on Facebook, on Instagram and YouTube.
