BRUSSELS - Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge is one of 186 federal sites selected to receive a 2015 field trip grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. The grant funding will allow more than 350 fourth grade students from Jersey, Alton and Brussels school districts to visit the wildlife refuge, most for the first time.
This grant, part of the Foundation’s Open OutDoors for Kids program, supports the White House youth initiative Every Kid in a Park.
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“It is inspiring to see the National Park Foundation and many other partners step up to support our goal of getting fourth graders and their families into parks, public lands and waters that belong to all Americans," said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. "These generous grants will ensure children across the country have an opportunity to experience the great outdoors in their community while developing a lifelong connection to our nation’s land, water and wildlife."
National Park Foundation grants have made it possible for more than 400,000 students (including this year’s grantees) to visit national parks and other public lands and waters.
“We want to help people everywhere, from all backgrounds, discover how national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and other public lands and waters are relevant to their lives, and the best way to do that is to give people the opportunity to experience them first-hand,” said Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation. “Through our grants that provide funding for transportation and in-park learning, we are able to connect youth and their families to these special places and inspire people across the country to find their park which, in turn, can foster a lifelong connection to all that public lands and waters have to offer.”
As part of the grant funding, rangers from Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge will visit the fourth grade classrooms of Jersey, Alton and Brussels school districts. The students will learn how to safely enjoy the outdoors at local public lands and how to watch for birds while enjoying other outdoor activities such as hiking. Then each class will make a visit to the wildlife refuge where they will learn to watch for eagles, a popular winter activity in the area. After their visit to the refuge each student will participate in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Junior Duck Stamp art contest.
“The National Park Foundation grant has allowed Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge to make a connection with our local schools,” said Refuge Manager Justin Sexton. “Our hope is that from these programs and the students’ visit to the refuge they will be inspired to bring their family to the wildlife refuge or any local public land to spend some time outdoors.”
For the full list of grantees, and their projects, visit www.nationalparks.org/everykidinapark.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation 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 INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.
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