Play Learn Work Serve Camps Will Connect Youth from Nine Cities to Nature WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Park Service and the YMCA of the USA are launching a joint program that will provide memorable and meaningful experiences for youth on public lands this summer. The Play, Learn, Serve, Work Summer Camp Program is part of the Department of the Interior’s 50 Cities Initiative to increase awareness, support, and participation in outdoor programs. “This collaboration unites the resources and expertise of two organizations that are committed to youth engagement and development,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “It will help thousands of children to ‘Find Your Park’ – magnificent places where they can play, learn, serve, and work outdoors. This type of personal contact with nature provides benefits physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.” Through this partnership, National Park Service sites and YMCAs in nine cities will leverage their resources to expand the reach of both organizations this summer. They will create joint recreational, educational and service programs that emphasize the value and significance of resources in their communities. The nine cities are Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Washington, DC. “Attending camp is one of the most rewarding childhood experiences,” said Kevin Washington, President and CEO of YMCA of the USA. “Collaborating with the National Park Service will enhance the camp experience for so many of the youth who participate in the Y’s summer programs by providing education, recreation and service opportunities in our nation’s parks and historic sites. It will also provide work and service learning opportunities for teens and young adults in communities nationwide.” This partnership is part of the Department of the Interior’s youth initiative to engage and employ the next generation to Play, Learn, Serve and Work in America’s great outdoors.
This initiative follows a Secretarial Order issued by Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to significantly expand recreational, educational, volunteer and career opportunities for millions of youth and veterans on the nation’s public lands, including partnerships with businesses and nonprofit organizations to support the Obama Administration’s 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC). The 21CSC is a national collaborative effort to put America’s youth and veterans to work protecting, restoring, and enhancing America’s natural and cultural resources. |
Last updated: May 13, 2015