Back-to-school season means a new class of fourth graders will soon be eligible to enroll in Every Kid Outdoors, a federal program that provides up to one year of free access to national forests, national parks and other public lands for fourth grade students. grade students and their families.
Starting September 1, fourth grade students, parents and educators can visit the Every Kid Outdoors website at www.everykidoutdoors.gov and learn more about how to get free admission to all federal lands, for students fourth graders and their accompanying family members.
Students can earn passes individually by completing a short online activity. Educators working with fourth graders can visit the site to download a guide to educational activities, after which they will be able to obtain vouchers for their students. Once printed, students and their families can also redeem the paper coupon for a durable plastic pass at any Forest Service office where passes are sold. Passes and coupons are valid for the entire school year, until August 31, 2023.
“Every Kid Outdoors is designed for kids and their families to explore the great outdoors and explore the incredible experiences that are available to them on public lands,” said Krystal Fleeger, recreation rate specialist for the Service’s Pacific Northwest region. US Forestry “These passes are intentionally designed to belong to fourth graders and can only be used when they are present. We want people to get out and explore these places as a family.”
The federal program is designed for fourth graders because research shows that children ages 9 to 11 are beginning to learn about the world around them, open themselves to new ideas, and are likely to make lasting connections with nature and our environment. history when they are introduced to public lands and historic sites.
“Public lands play an important role. They are living classrooms and portals to lifelong learning about the natural and cultural history of forests, prairies and other treasured places,” said Thea Garrett, interim conservation education program manager for the Pacific Northwest region of the Forest Service. USA “Our hope is that this program will help inspire the next generation to care for public lands and continue to steward these special places for the benefit of future generations.”
For more information about Every Kid Outdoors, visit www.everykidoutdoors.gov
Source: US Forest Service.
