Fourth Grade Students Explore the Natchez Trace Parkway

Date: May 17, 2016
Contact: Amy Genke, [phone]

RIDGELAND, MS - On Friday, April 22, 2016, fourth grade students from Highland Elementary School visited the Natchez Trace Parkway to celebrate National Park Week at the Parkway Information Cabin. Over 200 students participated in this Every Kid in a Park opportunity. The goal of the Every Kid in a Park program is to connect fourth-grade students 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.

Students learned about animal adaptations and wildlife habitat while visiting the Parkway. They were challenged to learn more about wildlife of the Parkway by investigating animal skulls. Students were encouraged to look for signs of wildlife as they explored the multi-use trail. One fourth-grader expressed her enthusiasm saying, "I am so excited about being outside!"

If you are an educator in the Jackson metropolitan area and would like to bring your class to the Parkway, please contact Park Ranger Amy Genke at [phone] for more information.

www.nps.gov

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 411 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more atwww.nps.gov.