Buddy Bison's Buzz - July 2011

Hey Kids,

I hope you are having a great summer and that you are visiting lots of parks. My friends at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have taught me a lot about public lands that they take care of, and I wanted to share this information with you.

In this issue, I also want to introduce you to my friends Wrayzene and Brianna from KIPP WILL Academy in Washington, DC. They talked about their adventures with Buddy Bison at a special event honoring a U.S. Senator!

And, you can read about a great adventure at Great Falls with my new friends from St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Maryland.

Remember to send me your photos, stories and artwork to buddy@buddybison.org.  

Your friend,
Buddy Bison

So Many Lakes, So Many Things to Do

My friend Heather Burke, National Partnership Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shared this information with me and I could not wait to share it with you.

Summer is finally here and that means lots of time for fun in the sun!  Can you imagine what it’s like to wear a thick fur coat like mine in July? It’s HOT!  There’s nothing I like more than to take a dip in a refreshing lake or river to cool me off.  That’s why I’ll be heading to some of my favorite U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes this summer....read more

Two Buddy Bison Students Impress a U.S. Senator

Brianna and Wrayzene with Senator Collins

Recently, National Park Trust had a big party to give Senator Susan Collins an award for all she has done to help parks. The Senator is from Maine, the home of Acadia National Park. Two of my friends, Brianna  and Wrayzene, sixth graders at KIPP WILL Academy in Washington, D.C., talked about the Buddy Bison program at their school.

Brianna talked about her National Kids to Parks Day adventures, “With the Buddy Bison program I went on a hike with my mom and my aunt. We went to the Mason Neck State Park and learned how to read maps and how to survive in the wilderness. We even met Big Foot who taught us not to leave any trash behind. The hike gave my family and me, the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors more and to take every opportunity to exercise.  Now, I keep Buddy Bison near me to remind me to explore all of our beautiful parks. “

Wrayzene said. “ Buddy Bison has done so much for me, like letting me go on trips and learning important things that I never imagined I would have the chance to know about.” She also talked about how much she enjoyed reading the National Geographic Mystery Series which is included in the Buddy Bison Toolkit and getting to meet the authors in a Skype interview, as well as her experiences canoeing on the Anacostia River and other field trips. Wrayzene summed up her experience, “ I really love all that Buddy Bison has done for me and I wish to do more with him and give back to my community and the environment.“

Brianna and Wrayzene gave Senator Collins her very own Buddy Bison and she loved it. The Senator even said she would introduce me, Buddy Bison to Minnie Moose from Maine! It’s enough to make a Bison blush.

Watch the video of Brianna and Wrayzene's speeches!

A Great Day at Great Falls!

My friends at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, MD planned a National Kids to Parks Day field trip to Great Falls National Park. They had to reschedule due to flooding in the park but had a perfect, mild day in early June. Here’s what they had to say about their trip.

"Kindergarten through third grade students gathered outside the Great Falls Visitor Center to hear from Park Ranger Fox. She shared the history of the canal, dating back to George Washington, and the importance of maintaining the river frontage and towpath.

The ranger encouraged the students to look carefully for great blue herons, skinks, and snakes as they walked to the falls overlook. Our group took a short hike to the actual falls, seeing several blue herons fishing and finding a toad near the canal and a turtle basking in the sun. The view of the waterfall was spectacular, and many children proclaimed that they wanted to return with their families!

Thank you, Buddy Bison, for promoting a Kids to Parks Day; St. Andrew's loved it!"

Last Chance to Enter Buddy Bison's Annual Photo Contest

Get out your cameras; it’s time for our annual photo contest. Visit a park this summer and send your photos to buddy@buddybison.org. The best photos will be featured in our 2012 calendar and on our website. All winners will receive a free calendar. The deadline is August 31st.

Show Your Family’s Bison Pride!
Did you know that you can have your very own Buddy Bison to take to the parks? You can also get T-shirts, water bottles and lots of other cool Buddy Bison things. By purchasing these items you will helping us take more kids to parks. All profits go to National Park Trust’s Youth to Parks Scholarship Fund.

Thanks to everyone who completed our teacher’s survey. These results are being used to make our program stronger and more effective.  NPT is looking forward to meeting with all of our Buddy Bison Partner Schools this summer to discuss programs and activities for the upcoming year.

If you do not teach at a Buddy Bison Partner School, but would like to learn more about how you can incorporate fun, environmental literacy activities into your curriculum,  contact Lisa LoVullo, 301.279.7275, x17.