PAICINES — Pinnacles National Park will receive a field trip grant for the 2018-19 school year from the National Park Foundation, the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service. This $5,200 grant will be used to help underserved schools with the cost of transportation to Pinnacles National Park.
This grant is part of the Foundation’s Open OutDoors for Kids program, which creates pathways for youth to explore and connect with national park experiences.
“Trekking along trails, observing our natural ecosystems and engaging with our shared history are experiences that benefit all children,” said National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth. “Making it possible for America’s youth to explore our national parks is an investment in their future and the future of the national parks community.”
Classes from local Title I will be eligible to apply for the grant, which reimburses schools for some of their transportation costs of getting to and from the park for educational field trips. More information about scheduling trips can be found at www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/education.
“Field trips are one of the best ways to introduce new and diverse populations to the park, but transportation costs can be a barrier for a lot of schools,” said Brent Johnson, acting superintendent of Pinnacles National Park. “This grant will provide the opportunity for many local students visit a national park for the first time.”
The Pinnacles National Park Foundation, the nonprofit partner of Pinnacles National Park, will administer the grant.
“We’re excited to be able to offer this opportunity to local schools and provide additional support for youth engagement,” said Executive Director Jennifer Westphal.
