NPT News February - 2012

FEBRUARY 2012 ISSUE

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NPT News

Our mission: Preserving parks today; Creating park stewards for tomorrow. 

National Park Trust Celebrates its 29th Birthday with an Updated Logo and Mission Statement


Our mission: Preserving parks today; Creating park stewards for tomorrow.


This February National Park Trust celebrates its 29th year! To mark this milestone and prepare for our fourth decade, the Board of Trustees developed a new strategic plan that will focus on integrating our park preservation with our youth education programs. To depict this new strategic direction, we have created a new logo which complements our crisply stated mission: preserving parks today; creating park stewards for tomorrow.

One of our many goals is to make our important park preservation projects relevant to the thousands of students and families that we are working with across the country. To achieve this goal, we are developing a pilot education module that will be centered around one of our newest signature park preservation projects: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park near Atlanta, GA. The innovative module will be used to engage students in Georgia and across the county with the historical, environmental and civic lessons that are unique to this battlefield as well as the many outdoor recreation opportunities. Then, as our newest park stewards, these students can help us protect critical acreage within the park that is being threatened by development.

Other strategic goals include:
  • Completing three to five park preservation projects each year
  • Expanding the geographic reach of our Buddy Bison School program to include 60 schools (15,000 students) focusing on areas where our park preservation projects are located
  • Engaging elected officials in all 50 states with National Kids to Parks Day
  • Increasing our national, regional and local strategic partners

To learn more about these new initiatives contact Kit McGinnis, Park Programs Director or Billy Schrack, Education Director.

Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico to Receive the 12th Bruce F. Vento Public Service Award

On June 13, 2012, National Park Trust will be honoring Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico with the 12th Bruce F. Vento Public Service Award. Since 2001, NPT has given this award to honor the memory and legacy of Bruce F. Vento, a twelve-term Congressman from Minnesota, dedicated environmentalist and a champion of legislation for America's parks. The award honors a public servant for his or her commitment to the environment as well as his or her service, skill and innovation in support of our public lands.

NPT is recognizing Senator Bingaman for his outstanding record in park preservation and environmental stewardship. The Senator currently serves as chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. His recent achievements include expanding opportunities for young people through partnerships with public land managers, introducing legislation to protect important lands in New Mexico and taking a leadership role on the Outdoor Resources Review Group to address park systems and their relationship between outdoor recreation, health and wellness. Senator Bingaman also co-sponsored a Congressional resolution officially recognizing NPT's inaugural National Kids to Parks Day in 2011.

Click here to read the full press release on the 2012 Bruce F. Vento Public Service Award recipient.

For more information, to become a sponsor or purchase a ticket, contact:
  • Shana Newman Fajardo – (301) 279-7275 ext. 15 ; shana@parktrust.org
  • Grace Lee – (301) 279-7275 ext. 14 ; grace@parktrust.org

Deadline Approaching for Kids to Parks Day Classroom Contest: Entries Due March 1st!

Time is running out for submissions to National Park Trust's Kids to Parks Day School Contest! The contest is open to all schools across the country and in the U.S. territories for grades pre-K to 12. The theme of this year's contest is "Explore outdoors, the parks are yours!" NPT will award scholarships up to $1,000 to winners. All awards will be used to create park experiences during the week leading up to National Kids to Parks Day on May 19th. Click here to get your entry form!

For more information, contact Billy Schrack – (301) 279-7275; william@parktrust.org

Deadline for entries: Thursday, March 1st
Winners announced: Monday, March 19th
THE SECOND ANNUAL NATIONAL KIDS TO PARKS DAY IS MAY 19, 2012
To learn more visit www.kidstoparks.org

 Virginia Shows NPT Some Love! A National Kids to Parks Day Event at Every State Park!


If you are a resident of Virginia, or a nearby state for that matter, you will have no trouble finding a park to bring your kids to when NPT's second annual National Kids to Parks Day occurs on May 19, 2012. Each and every state park in Virginia will be hosting an event for the day. That's 36 parks total!

To decide on which Virginia park you'd like to explore on May 19, 2012, visit the Virginia State Parks webpage. You will find a full list of the state parks and links to each one of them.

Also, make sure you register yourself and your children to participate in National Kids to Parks Day by visiting the official website – www.kidstoparks.org! Over 900 people have already committed to participate

Buddy Bison Has a Brand New Website – www.buddybison.org


Our youth education program – Where's Buddy Bison Been? – is expanding rapidly and NPT has made significant changes to our kids website (www.buddybison.org) in order to provide children with plenty of fun and easy ways to stay connected with our nation's parks.

On the website, your kids will find interactive and useful tools including a map of where Buddy Bison has been all over the country, links to videos and photos from other kids' adventures, games, a "creative corner" and information about how to find a park nearby and plan a trip. We also have pages for parents and teachers with more information about Buddy Bison and our education programs, as well as the many things Buddy can offer your children or students.

Is your child or student ready to start adventuring with Buddy Bison? Click here to purchase your own Buddy Bison, then make sure you visit the new site – www.buddybison.

NPT Signs on with OAK to Protect Hiking, Biking and Walking

Currently, several transportation authorization bills are moving through the House and Senate, threatening a number of programs that support hiking, biking and walking – modes of transportation that our children use to get to and from school as well as visit recreation areas where they can enjoy the natural world.

As a member of OAK (Outdoors Alliance for Kids), National Park Trust has signed on in support of a letter to Congress written by OAK which addresses the various threats the bills pose to many effective transportation programs for kids. If passed, these bills would effectively eliminate programs such as Transportation Enhancements (TE), the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), Safe Routes to School and Complete Streets.

 
RESOURCE CENTER >>
National Park Trust  /  401 E. Jefferson Street, Suite 102  /  Rockville, MD 20850  /  Email: adam@parktrust.org  /  www.parktrust.org
Deadline Approaching for Kids to Parks Day Classroom Contest: Entries due March 1st! 

Time is running out for submissions to National Park Trust’s Kids to Parks Day School Contest! The contest is open to all schools across the country and in the U.S. territories for grades pre-K to 12. The theme of this year’s contest is “Explore outdoors, the parks are yours!”  NPT will award scholarships up to $1,000 to winners. All awards will be used to create park experiences during the week leading up to National Kids to Parks Day on May 19th. Click here to get your entry form!

For more information, contact Billy Schrack – (301) 279-7275 ; william@parktrust.org

  • Deadline for entries: Thursday, March 1st
  • Winners announced: Monday, March 19th
  • THE SECOND ANNUAL NATIONAL KIDS TO PARKS DAY IS MAY 19, 2012
  • To learn more visit www.kidstoparks.org