Why Every Kid In A Park Is Awesome

There are so many reasons why we’re jazzed about supporting the White House youth initiative Every Kid in a Park.

Among those reasons is that it gives hundreds of thousands of youth and their families the chance to experience treasured places across the country, and for many, it’s their first time. In October 2015, 130 fourth graders went on an Every Kid in a Park adventure to César E. Chávez National Monument, thanks to a National Park Foundation grant, and you can follow their field trip on our blog.

And in December 2015 we announced how we’re connecting more than 140,000 fourth graders with national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and other public lands and waters.

Working with our partners at the National Park Service, Forest Service, Department of Education, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on this fantastic program has been incredibly rewarding. Here is what they’ve shared about our support of Every Kid in a Park:

“We have long known that kids learn better when they have opportunities to practice what they are learning in school, and parks and public lands offer them great opportunities to get their feet wet while collecting water samples, studying wildlife in its natural habitat, or exploring the places where history happened. These grants provided by the National Park Foundation will connect schoolchildren with public lands and waters, taking the lessons out of their schoolbooks and bringing them to life."

- National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis

"The Every Kid in a Park initiative will help plant seeds of knowledge, respect and understanding of the natural world into the minds and hearts of children. Cultivating a generation of children who understand the importance of natural resources, like those so plentiful in our Nation's forests and grasslands, will continue the Forest Service's legacy to manage the land for the 'greatest good for the greatest number in the long run.’”

- U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell

“We are proud to be a partner in the Every Kid in a Park initiative, and we look forward to continuing our efforts to connect 4th grade students and their families with the many outdoor recreational opportunities that our lakes and river projects offer.”

- Maj. Gen. Ed Jackson, Deputy Commanding General for Civil and

Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

“These grants will allow about 8,000 fourth-graders to make the connection that these are their public lands where they can learn, serve and play throughout their lives.”

- Bureau of Land Management Deputy Director Steve Ellis

“We are thrilled more 4th graders have a chance to learn and explore at some of Reclamation's lands and waters. The Every Kid in a Park pass has given kids a chance to learn about America's great outdoors and the importance of water in their everyday lives."

- Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Estevan López

“NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries and National Estuarine Research Reserves provide ideal settings for fourth graders and their families to experience hands-on activities that can inspire a sense of wonder and a thirst for knowledge about our ocean, coasts and Great Lakes. We are pleased to work with the National Park Foundation through the Open OutDoors for Kids program. These grants will help us reach out to students who otherwise may not have the opportunity to visit a sanctuary or estuarine reserve.”

- W.Russell Callender, Ph.D., acting assistant administrator for

NOAA's National Ocean Service

What are some of the Every Kid in a Park adventures you have planned? Share your photos, memories, and experiences with us using #FindYourPark and #EncuentraTuParque on social media.