NPT News - September 2012

• NPT Welcomes its Newest Leadership Council Member, Dr. Ilona Holland
• History Comes Alive with Buddy Bison Education Module for Civil War Battlefield
• Welcome to Our New Buddy Bison Schools!
• Buddy Bison Program Grows With Generous Donation from DC Area Foundation
• Want to Show Appreciation for our Parks? National Public Lands Day is Saturday, September 29!
• NPT Welcomes New Team Member

NPT Welcomes its Newest Leadership Council Member, Dr. Ilona Holland

NPT is honored to introduce its new Leadership Council member, Dr. Ilona Holland. Dr. Holland holds an Ed.D. and Ed.M. from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, a M.Ed from University of Delaware and a B.A. from Swarthmore College. Her specialized experience is with technology-based education and her previous work with technology projects for museums, businesses, schools, and the edu-tainment industry make her an invaluable ally in our mission to reconnect children across the country with the great outdoors.

Dr. Holland is currently a Lecturer on Education at Harvard's Graduate School of Education and a Senior Advisor for Academic Affairs and Instructional Design at Children's Hospital in Boston.

Dr. Holland has served as a formative evaluator of educational technology projects, including the television shows like Parenting Works, Between the Lions and Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? and Wild Kratts and was part of the creative team for the Emmy Award-winning Word Girl, PBS. In addition, she was also a vital contributor in writing Delaware’s K-12 Educational Standards for both the social arts and the arts in education.

"I have wonderful memories of learning about our national parks from educational television when I was a child. When I grew up with a family of my own, we made a point of exploring as many parks, large and small, as possible. Climbing rocks, learning about the history of those who walked before us, and gazing over vast vistas all contributed to my love of the outdoors and my desire to share that love with others. In my professional life, I can see how technology can enable all to learn more about the parks and can help spread the word about the importance of conservation. I look forward to working with National Park Trust to engage young students with the parks and their wonderful legacy."

"National Park Trust is delighted to welcome Ilona Holland to our Leadership Council. Her expertise in education and technology will be an important and key resource as we continue to build and expand our Buddy Bison school and family programs across the country," stated Chuck Knauss, board member and chair of NPT's Leadership Council.

History Comes Alive with Buddy Bison Education Module for Civil War Battlefield

This fall, 140 5th grade students from Cobb County, Georgia will explore the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park through an innovative education program that connects history with their personal lives. 2010 Buddy Bison Teacher of the Year, Carolyn Cohen, created the module to excite kids about history and about the importance of protecting our parks.

While the module offers information on the National Park Service, NPT, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the primary focus is to elevate the importance of our national parks. The module makes conservation relatable by allowing kids to explore through hands-on activities.

Through the module, students will learn about the significance of Kennesaw Mountain as one of the Confederate Army’s few victories following its defeat at the Battle of Gettysburg. As with the other battles of the Civil War, Kennesaw left a lasting historic and environmental impact on Georgia and our nation.

This outdoor edcuation learning experience is possible thanks to the dedicated support of our Atlanta-based sponsor, Southern Company. 

We are excited to introduce our new Buddy Bison Schools who will join our 33 other schools across the country:

• Del Sur Elementary School, CA
• Baker Elementary School, CA
• Desert Unified School, CA
• Hollydale Elementary School, GA
• Winnwood Elementary School, MO
• Sunshine Early Childhood Learning Center, Washington, DC

On behalf of NPT, welcome and we look forward to working with you all this fall!

Buddy Bison Program Grows With Generous Donation from DC Area Foundation

NPT would like to thank The Rocksprings Foundation for their generous support of the Buddy Bison program at St. Andrews Episcopal School in Potomac, MD and for providing key funding to enable students at St. Ignatius Loyola Academy in Baltimore, MD to visit For Love of Children's Outdoor Education Center in Harper's Ferry, WV this spring.

In 2009, the Foundation provided lead sponsorship to support the launch of the Buddy Bison school program in Washington, DC and has continued to support the growth of NPT's environmental education initiatives. 

While summer is over, National Public Lands Day is an opportunity to get outside and join thousands of people at parks across the country for a day of outdoor recreation. All fees to all public lands sites are waived for the day. Check out the National Public Lands Day map for events near you.

NPT Welcomes New Team Member

NPT would like to welcome its new Communications & Development Coordinator, Justin Martinez. Justin is a recent graduate of Georgetown University. Previously, he had worked closely with conservation groups while interning at thes. Department of the Interior’s Office of Intergovernmental & External Affairs. Justin lives in Washington, DC and enjoys kayaking and hiking in our national parks.  Executive Director Grace Lee stated, "With his passion for conservation and his past experience working at the Department of Interior's Youth and the Great Outdoors, Justin is a valuable addition to the NPT team."