Obed Wild & Scenic River was selected to receive a 2017 field trip grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. These funds will be utilized to cover the transportation cost to bring fourth grade students to experience their national park and foster connections to the natural world. This grant, part of the Foundation’s Open OutDoors for Kids program, supports the Every Kid in a Park initiative.
“I can still remember the excitement of exploring my first national park as a kid and it made me want to discover more,” said National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth. “I’m thrilled that our National Park Foundation grants make it possible for hundreds of thousands of kids to experience the wonder of parks for the first time, sparking a lifelong love for national parks.”
Fourth grade students from Linden Elementary School and Lonsdale Elementary School will visit the Obed Wild and Scenic River during the 2017-2018 school year. These students will experience the hemlock lined forests of the Cumberland Plateau, learn about early human history while sitting beneath an ancient rock shelter, and discover how water created this spectacular beauty and carved out the steep sandstone gorge walls. These experiences connect classroom learning to tangible resources in this outdoor classroom that make for powerful learning opportunities.
