Lake Mead National Recreation Area encourages all fourth graders to visit the park for free this year as part of the "Every Kid in a Park" program.
The program gives fourth-grade students, and those accompanying them, free access to more than 2,000 federally managed lands and waters. The program, now entering its second year, is a call to action for children to experience America’s spectacular outdoors, rich history and culture.
In the program’s first year, Lake Mead National Recreation Area handed out more than 1,800 passes to fourth grade students, helping to engage the next generation of park goers and enthusiasts as part of the National Park Service’s centennial celebration.
The Every Kid in a Park pass –- which features a new design for this year’s students –- is valid for a full calendar year starting Sept. 1. The pass grants free entry for fourth graders and up to three accompanying adults (or an entire car for drive-in parks) to most federally managed lands and waters, including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and marine sanctuaries.
The newly expanded Every Kid in a Park website has links to educational activities, trip planning, field trip options, the downloadable pass and additional information in both English and Spanish. After completing a fun educational activity, the child can download and print a pass. The paper pass can be traded for a more durable pass at participating federal sites nationwide.
To support the Every Kid in a Park program, Lake Mead National Recreation Area was selected to receive a 2016-2017 field trip grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. The grant is part of the Foundation’s Open OutDoors for Kids program. The grant will be used to transport school-aged children to the park to participate in nature-based field trips.
The Every Kid in a Park program is an administration-wide effort between the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Army and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
