MOOSE, WY - Families and children of all ages are invited to join Grand Teton National Park rangers and naturalists Saturday, April 29 to participate in Junior Ranger Day. This year’s event, titled “To the Tetons…and Beyond," is themed around astronomy, dark skies, and the total solar eclipse the park will experience this summer. Junior Ranger Day will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose. The event is free and open to the public.
Junior Ranger Day is scheduled for April 29 to coincide with National Astronomy Day and International Dark Sky Week. The day will be full of astronomy activities. Families can play games to learn about the importance of dark skies to wildlife and wild places, experience a "night" hike during the day, and participate in hands-on activities to learn about the total solar eclipse which will be visible in the park Aug. 21, 2017. Wyoming Stargazing and the Jackson Hole Astronomy Club will be on hand with solar viewing scopes and a mobile planetarium.
Children will also have the opportunity to learn about various ranger careers. Fire engines, patrol cars, and snowplows will be available for exploration and children are invited to test their skills on a climbing wall. Children who participate in at least three of the day’s activities will earn a Junior Ranger badge or patch.
In coordination with Systems of Education’s “Roll into Readiness" campaign, bilingual rangers and community partners will provide the day’s activities in both English and Spanish. Systems of Education is a network of education organizations in Jackson Hole. “Roll into Readiness" is a campaign by those organizations to have a collective impact on literacy and education by promoting informal learning opportunities among families.
Junior Ranger Day is made possible in part with funding from the Grand Teton Association. The non-profit park partner will offer a 15% discount on merchandise in the discovery and visitor center’s bookstore during Junior Ranger Day.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
