WASHINGTON – In honor of National African American History Month, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, National Park Service (NPS) Director Jonathan B. Jarvis and NPS Deputy Director Peggy O’Dell will host events at national parks across the country during February. As part the Every Kid in a Park initiative, the Secretary, Director and Deputy Director will invite local fourth graders to participate and learn about African Americans’ contributions to the nation’s history and culture.
On Thursday, Feb. 11, Secretary Jewell will visit the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Alabama. While there, Jewell will host a discussion with several surviving airmen and distribute Every Kid in a Park passes to fourth graders for free entry to America’s federal lands and waters. She will also announce an important new partnership between Google and the NPS.
Throughout February, Director Jarvis will travel to three national park sites to highlight the role of NPS in telling diverse American stories and to distribute Every Kid in a Park passes to local fourth graders, starting with a visit to Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site in Arkansas on February 2. On Feb. 18, Jarvis will travel to Colonel Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Dayton, Ohio; and on Feb. 22, Jarvis will visit New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. On Feb. 19, NPS Deputy Director Peggy O’Dell will host an Every Kid in the Park event at Pullman National Monument in Chicago. Director Jarvis will also offer opening remarks at the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) 90th Annual Black History Luncheon in Washington, D.C. on February 20.
The Every Kid in a Park initiative is part of an overall strategy to connect young people to the outdoors. The program allows fourth graders nationwide to go to www.everykidinapark.gov and obtain a pass for free entry for them and their families to more than 2,000 federally managed lands and waters nationwide for an entire year, starting Sept. 1, 2015.
Connecting with and creating the next generation of park visitors, supporters, and advocates is also a key goal of this year’s NPS Centennial, celebrating the 100-year milestone of America’s national parks.
WHO:
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Jonathan B. Jarvis, Director, National Park Service
Peggy O’Dell, Deputy Director, National Park Service
WHAT:
Celebrating National African American History Month, NPS Centennial & Every Kid in a Park
WHEN:
February 2 – Director Jarvis to distribute Every Kid in a Park passes at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site in Arkansas
February 11 – Secretary Jewell to host an Every Kid in a Park event at Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Alabama & announce an important new partnership with Google and the NPS
February 18 – Director Jarvis to distribute Every Kid in a Park passes to fourth graders in Dayton, Ohio and visit Colonel Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
February 19 – Deputy Director Peggy O’Dell to host an Every Kid in the Park event at Pullman National Monument
February 20 – Director Jarvis to deliver opening remarks at the Association for the Study of African American Life and History 90th Annual Black History Luncheon in Washington, D.C.
February 22 – Director Jarvis to distribute Every Kid in a Park passes at New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park in Louisiana
Source: Department of Interior
