The Battle Mountain District, visited 4th graders at the Battle Mountain Elementary School on April 19 to give a classroom presentation and distribute Park Passes to each student which allows them and three additional family members free access to all state and national parks across the country for a year. This was made possible through an interagency program titled Every Kid in a Park that was established in 2015.
Courtesy photo Students react as Jamie Uhlig, Administrative Assistance with the Battle Mountain District, explains that each have had a card registered to their name that will provide them free access to any state or national park all summer. The program is set to expnad to Eureka schools in the fall.
The Every Kid in a Park program is part of a multi-pronged approach to inspire the next generation to discover all that our nation’s public lands and waters have to offer, including opportunities to be active, spend time with friends and family and serve as living classrooms to build critical skills. Multiple partners are part of the program including the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Army Corps of Engineers and others who work together to connect youth from all backgrounds with the great outdoors.
This is the first year of implementing the program in Battle Mountain but the District already has plans to expand this learning opportunity in the fall with the goal of providing every 4th grader in the entire District with a free Park Pass. The expanded effort for next school year will include schools in Eureka, Esmeralda, Lander and Nye Counties.
“With so much public land in Nevada, educating our youth about the BLM’s multiple use mission is important. This program provides a perfect opportunity to teach children about different uses of the land like recreation, mining, conservation, exploration or livestock grazing, while impressing the importance of balancing between them so that all can remain for future generations,” said Jon Sherve, Field Manager for the Mount Lewis Field Office.
The BLM will be putting on another set of presentations/activities next week for the 4th grade students at the Tonopah Elementary School and each will go home with their free Park Passes just in time for the summer break. For more information about the Every Kid in a Park program visit https://go.usa.gov/xQWVd.
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