Lowell National Historical Park News Release
Release date: Immediate: National Park Foundation
Contact(s:) Phil Lupsiewicz, Alana Sobel
Phone number: 978 275-1705 202-796-2538
Date: January 6, 2016
Release code: 16-12
Lowell National Historical Park
Receives Field Trip Grant From The National Park Foundation
Lowell, MA (January 6, 2016) – Lowell National Historical Park in partnership with Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust is one of 186 federal sites selected to receive a 2015 field trip grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. The partnership will reach 400 fourth grade students in the City of Lowell through youth-serving agencies, Lowell Public Schools and Lowell Community Charter Public School.
This grant, part of the Foundation’s Open OutDoors for Kids program, supports the White House youth initiative Every Kid in a Park.
“It is inspiring to see the National Park Foundation and many other partners step up to support our goal of getting fourth graders and their families into parks, public lands and waters that belong to all Americans,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. “These generous grants will ensure children across the country have an opportunity to experience the great outdoors in their community while developing a lifelong connection to our nation’s land, water and wildlife.”
National Park Foundation grants have made it possible for more than 400,000 students (including this year’s grantees) to visit national parks and other public lands and waters.
“We want to help people everywhere, from all backgrounds, discover how national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and other public lands and waters are relevant to their lives, and the best way to do that is to give people the opportunity to experience them first-hand,” said Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation. “Through our grants that provide funding for transportation and in-park learning, we are able to connect youth and their families to these special places and inspire people across the country to find their park which, in turn, can foster a lifelong connection to all that public lands and waters have to offer.”
The partnership project will reach at least 400 fourth grade students in the City of Lowell through youth serving agencies, Lowell Public Schools and the Lowell Community Charter Public School. During the Discovering Lowell program, students will travel to the park for a two-part program with the first visit to Lowell NHP to learn about Lowell’s history and then return for a Riverboat tour on the Merrimack River highlighting the story of pre-colonial Lowell. Through this program the students will expand their understanding and connection to Lowell’s history by also fostering stewardship and developing a new generation of preservationists.
“Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust is very excited to be a recipient with our partners at Lowell National Historical Park for an “Every Kid in a Park” grant from the National Park Foundation,” said Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust Executive Director Jane Calvin. “The City of Lowell was established as a direct result of its richness in natural resources, such as the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, and the surrounding fertile agricultural lands. Today’s forth grade students will undoubtedly find our program will make strong environmental connections to the land. We expect students will make connections which improve the quality of life for the people of Lowell through it’s parks, open spaces, and special places, ” added Calvin.
“Lowell is all about industry and the industrial revolution, but there’s so much more,” said Lowell National Historical Park Superintendent, Celeste Bernardo. “The river, its ecosystem and impact on the city are a hidden gem in Lowell and providing the opportunity to work with our partners at Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust will open up a whole new world to the students.”
For the full list of grantees, and their projects, visit www.nationalparks.org/everykidinapark.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.
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