Successful 2008 TRT

Laura Speegle, Teacher-Ranger-Teacher at Petrified Forest National Park, works in the Visitor Center.

NPS/Marge Post

News Release Date: September 5, 2008

Contact: Marge Post, [phone] ext. 264

Successful 2008 Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Program at Petrified Forest National Park

Petrified Forest, AZ – “The second summer for the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Program at Petrified Forest National Park has once again been very successful,” said park superintendent Cliff Spencer. Laura Speegle from Detroit Public Schools in Detroit, Michigan was at the park from June to August 2008.

As part of the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Program, Speegle donned an official park service uniform and worked in the Division of Interpretation and Education for eight weeks. Some of her duties included holding Junior Ranger Activity days, conducting programs at the Holbrook Public Library, participating in Science Day Camps, giving interpretive talks for visitors, and developing educational materials to be used by the park. After returning to Detroit, Speegle will conduct workshops for other Michigan teachers on her experience and use some exciting lessons from the park with her students.

On her experience with the National Park Service Speegle stated, “This was an exciting educational experience. It will be important for my students who don’t often have a chance to experience the southwestern states or the National Parks. I feel confident now that I can help them experience some of the things I have through exciting lessons. I would unequivocally recommend this experience to other educators.”

National parks provide opportunities for all Americans to connect to their national heritage, through access to the ideas, values, and meanings associated with the cultural, natural, and recreational heritage of the United States. The Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Program expands these opportunities to teachers from Title 1 urban and rural school districts.

The Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Program began in 2003 and in 2007 became a national program. During the summer of 2008, national park units had over 80 teacher-rangers in uniform learning about their national heritage and serving National Park Service visitors.

For more information call [phone] weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time; or write to the Superintendent, Petrified Forest National Park, P.O. Box 2217, Petrified Forest, AZ 86028; or e-mail the park.