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President Barack Obama has just announced the launch of a new initiative designed to get kids in parks!
The Every Kid in a Park initiative will provide 4th graders and their families with free access to national parks for a whole year. Along with providing students with this important opportunity to experience the outdoors, the president also announced the designation of three new National Monuments across the U.S.
The Every Kid in a Park initiative will expand opportunities for children by
- Making it easy for schools and families to plan trips by providing information about nearby parks, waters, & student programming;
- Providing transportation support to schools with the greatest need, through the Ticket to Ride program; and
- Providing educational materials via the National Park Service (NPS) website which houses over 1,000 materials designed to help K-12 teachers incorporate science labs, lesson plans, and field trip guides in their lessons.
According to a White House press release, more than 80% of American families live in urban areas that lack quick access to safe places to play. On top of that, young people spend an average of 53 hours a week in front of screens. A total investment of $45 million for youth engagement programs throughout the Department of the Interior will be used towards youth activities and youth coordinators who will provide children and families with learning experiences at parks and online.
The three new areas that have earned national monument status include: Pullman National Monument in Illinois, the Browns Canyon National Monument in Colorado, and the Honouliuli National Monument in Hawaii.
Read the full press release here.
By The Numbers
33
percent
of Latinos live within walking distance (<1 mile) of a park
