Buddy Bison's Buzz - June 2011

SAVE THE DATE
 National Kids to Parks Day 2012

Saturday, May 19th

Dear Kids,

I bet you are excited about summer break. I would like to share some of my favorite summer fun ideas. Remember to "Explore outdoors, the parks are yours!"

President Obama and the Governors of all 50 states have proclaimed June as Get Outdoors Month. The official first day of summer is June 21st, and to celebrate admission to all National Parks is free. If you and your family want to have some old-fashioned fun, the Great American Backyard Campout is June 25th.

I want to thank all of you for making our first National Kids to Parks Day a huge success. Pardon a Bison bragging, but this was INCREDIBLE! Read all about it and look at some of the photos sent to me from kids around the country... read more

Your Friend,

Buddy Bison

Enjoy Summer with Buddy Bison

I am going to visit as many parks as I can this summer. I want to see parks with mountains,  beaches and prairies where I can graze for food.

Enter Buddy Bison’s Photo Contest

Get out your cameras and enter our annual photo contest. Visit a park and send your photos to buddy@buddybison.org. The deadline is August 30th. The best photos will be featured in our 2012 calendar. All winners will receive a free calendar. 

Deerfield Elementary Blaze Nature Trail Behind School

The fifth graders at Deerfield Elementary in Laurel, Maryland worked with the Maryland Conservation Corps (MCC) to create a 1/4 mile nature trail in the woods behind their school. MCC cleared trees and the students cleared roots, pulled weeds and cut low hanging branches. The students built the trail to learn more about conservation and nature. National Park Trust helped organize the project and Greater D.C. Cares lent the students tools and gloves. Kudos to Seth Tucker, 5th grade teacher for championing such a great effort. 

Inspire Your Creativity This Summer

What else can we do this summer? Sometimes it rains or I can't find a ride. (You do know that bison's can't drive, don't you?) It doesn't matter, I am always thinking about parks and sometimes we need to use our imaginations. Here are some great ideas for things you can do on the days you can't get to a park.

• Make a movie 
• Draw, paint and sculpt
• Become an author
• Write a song

Do not forget to read this summer. National Geographic's Mysteries in our National Parks series has twelve terrific adventures set in National Parks. Students and teachers at our Buddy Bison schools tell me that once you pick one up, you cannot put it down. Visit your local library.

Buddy Bison Schools Had a Terrific Year

Our Buddy Bison schools had a terrific year and I am so proud of all that they have accomplished. Our students learned about the environment and visited many parks in America. Buddy would like to say thanks to our teachers and students for making this a great school year. Here are some of the parks we visited this year. You might live far from these places but I hope you get to visit one day. Until then, visit them online to learn more about these great parks. Look at how many different kinds of parks there are!

• Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park (a Civil War battlefield)
• Mojave National Preserve (the desert)
• Grand Teton National Park (the mountains)
• Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge (the beach)
• Anacostia Park (a river)
• Seneca Creek State Park (a state park)
• Black Hill Regional Park (a local park)

Visit Buddy Bison’s New Store

You and your kids can now own Buddy Bison merchandise. Visit our new store and create your own T-shirts, hats, water bottles and more! Check it out and tell your friends to have fun shopping with Buddy. Proceeds benefit NPT's Youth to Parks Scholarship Fund, that provides park experiences for underserved children.

When you and your children visit a park this summer, please remember to send us photos, stories, artwork and videos to buddy@buddybison.org.

NPT would like to thank the principals and teachers at our Buddy Bison schools. Your dedication to teaching your students about the environment and taking them to parks for outdoor learning experiences is greatly appreciated.

Please remember to complete your Buddy Bison School Survey by June 30th.

As you plan for the for the 2011-2012 school year, contact Lisa LoVullo, Communications and Youth Programs Director, 301.279.7275, x17 for ideas and resources on strengthening your Buddy Bison program.

If you are not an official Buddy Bison school, you may still use our educational resources to integrate parks and the environment into your classroom.  We have many ideas and resources divided by subject.