"I love my Buddy Bison™!" That's the feedback from one of the students from the Black Student Fund who spent spring break at a retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia. NPT help send 9 students from the D.C. based Black Student Fund to For Love of Children's Outdoor Education Center, an NPT partner.

During the trip, the students went on a canoe trip where they learned about river ecology and alternative energy. The group also visited nearby Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, where they learned about the area's African American History, including John Brown's raid and the first meeting of the NAACP, which was held there.

Each student received a Buddy Bison. They were encouraged to send NPT stories of where their Buddy Bison's been. The photo above is of Amos G and his Buddy at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Below is his twin brother Aaron, again at HFNHP.

In the student feedback, student reported having a great time and particularly enjoyed the teamwork projects and canoe trip.

The Black Student Fund provides financial assistance and support services to Washington D.C. metropolitan area African-American students. BSF-assisted students stay in school, graduate high school with distinction and enter college. Seventy percent of these students are from one-parent households; many are the first generation to progress to higher education. NPT has partnered with BSF to help both organizations' meet their mutual goal of reconnecting students with nature.

NPT supports environmental education programs for youth through our Youth to Parks National Scholarship Fund. We can sponsor more students this summer with generous contributions from our donors. If you'd like to help us reconnect youth to nature, email Kit McGinnis at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call NPT at  call 301-279-7275.