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Oyster Bay, NY: Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Fire Island National Seashore, Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex managed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and New York State Parks encourages all fourth graders to visit Long Island Public Lands for free or at a reduced rate this year as part of the Every Kid in a Park program. The program gives fourth grade students, and those accompanying them, free access to more than 2,000 public lands and waters nationwide. Visit www.EveryKidinaPark.gov to download the pass and get more information. “There’s so much to discover on Long Island, whether it’s the Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center located in Jones Beach State Park or Elizabeth A. Morton Wildlife Refuge in Sag Harbor, NY we’re all excited to welcome fourth graders and their families throughout the year,” said superintendent of Sagamore Hill NHS Kelly Fuhrmann. “We hope that our young visitors learn and have fun in the great outdoors and develop a lifelong connection to our land, water and wildlife nationwide and on Long Island.” An additional benefit added this year is New York State Parks will accept the Every Kid in Park Pass upon presentation for free entry for 4th grade students into all State Parks. The pass applies only to the vehicle entry fee, and the 4th grader must be present in the vehicle. The pass will also be accepted at state historic sites for the pass holder and up to 3 adults for house tour fees. This is a pilot program as part of a series of New York State Park initiatives to encourage youth visitation to state parks, historic sites and public lands. Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge located in Shirley, NY and Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay, NY both issue Every Kid in Park Passes. The Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is open Monday-Saturday from 8:00am-4:00pm. The Sagamore Hill Visitor Center is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Please contact prior to making travel arrangements to ensure passes are in stock. Contact information and directions for Wertheim Wildlife Refuge can be found at: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Wertheim/. The Every Kid in a Park pass – which features a new design for this year’s students – is valid for a full calendar year starting September 1. The pass grants free entry for fourth graders and up to three accompanying adults (or an entire car for drive-in parks) to most federally managed lands and waters, including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and marine sanctuaries. The newly expanded Every Kid in a Park website has links to educational activities, trip planning, field trip options, the downloadable pass, and additional information in both English and Spanish. After completing a fun educational activity, the child can download and print a pass. The paper pass can be traded for a more durable pass at participating federal sites nationwide. Every Kid in a Park is 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 program, now entering its second year, is a call to action for children to experience America’s spectacular outdoors, rich history and culture. Every Kid in a Park is a crucial component of a multi-pronged approach to inspire the next generation to discover all that our nation’s public lands and waters have to offer, including opportunities to be active, spend time with friends and family, and serve as living classrooms to build critical skills. The Every Kid in a Park program is an Administration-wide effort between the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Army, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The program continues each year with the then-current group of fourth graders. After 12 years, every school-age child in America will have had an opportunity to visit their public land and waters for free, inspiring the next generation to be stewards of our nation’s shared natural and cultural heritage. For more information, please visit www.everykidinapark.gov and follow the program on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. |
Last updated: July 21, 2017