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Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) has once again been selected to receive a 2019-2020 field trip grant from the National Park Foundation (NPF), the official charity of America’s national parks. This grant will allow fourth grade classes the opportunity to explore the National Lakeshore on a snowshoeing adventure for free and learn about winter ecology, snow science and more, in a hands-on, experiential format. This grant, part of the NPF’s Open OutDoors for Kids program, supports Every Kid Outdoors.
As part of the Every Kid Outdoors program, fourth grade teachers are eligible to apply for the bus transportation grant, made possible by the NPF and administered by the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis and require teachers to submit a Field Trip Request with transportation information by November 1, 2019. For more details on how to apply, visit the snowshoe hike page of the park website. You can also e-mail us at slbe_education @nps.gov for more information.
“Many of our area schools are unable to fund transportation for students to visit the National Lakeshore,” said Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Superintendent Scott Tucker. “Thanks to the NPF’s ‘Open OutDoors for Kids’ grant, we plan to bring more than 1,000 fourth grade students to the National Lakeshore for a snowshoeing adventure this winter.”
The National Lakeshore is excited to offer the day-long Snowshoe Experience program for third-fifth grade students. Students go on an off-trail, snowshoeing adventure through a winter wonderland and complete curriculum-based, hands-on activities and games throughout the day. Field trips are offered Tuesday-Friday, from January through mid-March.
ABOUT THE EVERY KID OUTDOOR PROGRAM
The Every Kid Outdoors annual pass provides fourth grade students, along with their families, friends and classmates, free access to the National Lakeshore along with more than 2,000 other federal recreation areas for a year. The Every Kid Outdoors program encourages fourth graders to explore, learn, and recreate in spectacular settings, including national parks, wildlife refuges, marine sanctuaries, and forests.
“There is so much to discover at Sleeping Bear Dunes,” said Education Technician Emily Sunblade. “Visits on class trips or family vacations to experience the dunes, beaches, and historic landscapes will provide lifelong memories.”
The free pass allows fourth graders to attend Sleeping Bear Dunes’ programs and recreate in the National Lakeshore. To obtain the free pass, fourth grade students visit the Every Kid Outdoors website, participate in a short educational activity, and download a voucher. The voucher is valid for multiple use between September 1, 2019 and August 31, 2020 to correspond with the traditional school year. The voucher may be exchanged for a plastic keepsake pass at participating federal lands. The voucher or pass grants free entry for fourth graders, all children under 16 in the group, and up to three accompanying adults (or an entire car for drive-in parks) to most federally managed lands and waters. The pass does not cover expanded amenity fees such as camping or boat rides.
The great outdoors make a great classroom. Fourth grade educators are encouraged to take advantage of the wide range of educational programs and tools associated with the Every Kid Outdoors program. Educational activities, field trip options, information and tools in English and Spanish, and the ability to print vouchers for passes for students are all available on the website.
The Every Kid Outdoors program was established by Congress in 2019. It replaces the Every Kid in a Park program, which was launched in 2015. It is an interagency collaboration between the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Forest Service.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The NPF is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the NPS. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the NPF raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and ENGAGE the next generation of park stewards. In 2016, commemorating the NPS’ 100th anniversary, the NPF launched The Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks, a comprehensive fundraising campaign to strengthen and enhance the future of these national treasures for the next 100 years. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.
Last updated: October 4, 2019