The National Park Service Outer Banks Group, which includes Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brothers National Memorial, invites all 4th grade students to visit these parks as part of the White House’s new Every Kid in a Park program.  Beginning September 1, 2015,  4th grade students can now go to www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an activity and obtain a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks. 

“During the National Park Service’s centennial celebration, we want everyone to get to know their national parks and the special things that national parks offer as places to play, explore, learn, and serve.” said Outer Banks Group Superintendent David Hallac.  “We hope these free passes will service as a platform to introduce our national treasures to a next generation through 4th graders this year and 4th graders in future years.”

4th graders visiting the Outer Banks Group parks are encouraged to explore these parks on-line for things to do while they are at the park, and to check each park’s website calendars for programs that they can attend; visit nps.gov/caha (for Cape Hatteras NS), nps.gov/FORA (for Fort Raleigh NHS), and nps.gov/WRBR (for Wright Brothers NMEM). Each park’s Junior Ranger program is open to all 4th graders.

The Every Kid in a Park pass will provide for free entry to Wright Brothers NMEM, however, it does not provide discount for campgrounds, lighthouse climbs, boat dock fees, or any permits.

To receive their free pass for national parks, 4th graders can visit the Every Kid in a Park website and play a game to access their special Every Kid in a Park pass.  Fourth graders and their families can then use this pass for free entry national parks and other federal public lands and waters across the country from September 1st, 2015 through August 31, 2016.  The website also includes fun and engaging learning activities aligned to educational standards, trip planning tools, safety and packing tips and other important and helpful information for educators and parents.

The goal of the Every Kid in a Park program is to connect 4th graders with the great outdoors and inspire them to become future environmental stewards, ready to preserve and protect national parks and other public lands for years to come. The program is an important part of the National Park Service’s centennial celebration in 2016, which encourages everyone to Find Your Park.

Every Kid in a Park is an administrative-wide effort, launched by President Obama, and supported by eight federal agencies, including the National Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Education, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

For general information on the Outer Banks Group national park sites, visit www.nps.gov/caha, www.nps.gov/wrbr, www.nps.gov/fora; Twitter: @CapeHatterasNPS, @WrightBrosNPS, @FortRaleighNPS; www.facebook.com/CapeHatterasNS, www.facebook.com/WrightBrothersNMem, www.facebook.com/FortRaleighNHS, or call 252-473-2111.