Help Save the Every Kid in a Park Program
Now in its second year, the Every Kid in a Park program has allowed hundreds of thousands of fourth graders from around the country to gain free entry to over 400 National Parks and Monuments. Although the successful program has already been approved for a third year, Congress has recently delayed action on a bill that would have made the program permanent.
Now in its second year, the Every Kid in a Park program has allowed hundreds of thousands of fourth graders from around the country to gain free entry to over 400 National Parks and Monuments.
Kids showing off their new Every Kid passes after the inauguration of the program in 2015. Photo by Erika Haugen-Goodman.
The Every Kid program serves a vital role in exposing fourth graders to public lands at an impressionable age and inspiring future stewards to discover all that our nation’s public lands and waters have to offer.
Although the successful program has already been approved for a third year, Congress has recently delayed action on a bill that would have made the program permanent. The bill, known as the Every Kid Outdoors Act, would convert the existing Every Kid in a Park initiative into a federal law, preserving the legislation for years to come. Congress needs to hear your voice now in order to make their final decision on the bill.
How You can help
If you would like to see the Every Kid in a Park Program live on, let your district representative know now. To share your support for the program, find your congressional district representative and tell them how you feel.
Three Washington State Representative have already agreed to co-sponsor the bill preserving the Every Kid initiative; Suzan DelBene, Adam Smith, and Derek Kilmer. If your district representative is already a co-sponsor, send a note thanking them for their support of the program.
In addition, the Outdoor Alliance for Kids (OAK) is collecting postcards with testimonials from children, parents, teachers and others impacted by the legislation. These postcards will be used to strengthen the voice of Every Kid supporters, and be shared with legislators. Download your postcard now to share why you love the Every Kid Program.
Incoming fourth graders can receive their free 2017-2018 pass by applying online. Photo by Erika Haugen-Goodman.
Sign Up for the 2017-2018 Pass
Fourth graders can visit the visit the Every Kid in a Park website and complete a fun educational activity in order to obtain and print their pass. Students can also trade in their paper pass for a more durable pass at participating federal sites nationwide, including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and marine sanctuaries.
The pass is valid from September 1, 2017 through August 31, 2018 and grants free entry for fourth graders and up to three accompanying adults (or an entire non-commerical vehicle for drive-in parks) at more than 2,000 sites across the country.
Through the expanded website, educators and community leaders can access educational activities, field trip options, information and tools in English and Spanish, and have the ability to print passes for their classrooms.
Parents can find additional links to plan trips to nearby public lands. The website also contains a toolkit with resources for planning field trips, along with an extended list of public lands and waters to consider for field trips.
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