Case for Support
Purpose: National parks are perfect as classrooms. One scholar termed them "the schools of nature." Park visits help teachers address educational goals by providing outdoor learning opportunities, especially in the sciences and natural history. Better than text books or virtual reality, parks allow an authentic experience. In helping students and their teachers, the National Park Service and Nature Association provide trained staff, interns, and volunteers to provide educational, field-oriented activities. Transportation grants are also provided to encourage schools to use the park for educational purposes.
History: A decade ago the National Park Service appointed its first environmental education specialist. To assist in this work, the Nature Association provided funds for the park's "Heart of the Rockies Adventure Guides." These professionally-produced activity manuals assist teachers in meeting state curriculum standards. A website, heartoftherockies.com, was developed to prepare teachers for their park visit. Park rangers frequently visit schools throughout the region and other park partnerships help bring underserved student populations to the park.
Accomplishments: Starting in 1999, a four-year study of the Heart of the Rockies Program was conducted by the Research and Development Center for the Advancement of Student Learning at Colorado State University. Results were positive, stating "students learned better, learned more, and liked learning better in the park (experiential learning)." Currently, some 6,000 students are contacted or visit the park yearly.
Annual Need: With a potential audience of some 500,000 school children along Colorado's Front Range, this educational effort calls for expansion. Today the environmental education program is primarily funded by the National Park Service and supplemented by volunteer efforts and grants from the Rocky Mountain Nature Association. The immediate need is to add a year-round educational assistant to add continuity, quality and innovation to this program, while expanding its outreach. An additional $66,000 annually will support an education specialist and provide for needed bus transportation grants to school districts.