Why would a Monster care about National 4th Graders Day?
Today is National 4th Graders Day, in case you didn’t know. Honestly, I didn’t know. I never actually anticipated writing about National 4th Graders Day either. Why would I? This is a blog about adventure and the outdoors, about geology, ecology, biology, astronomy, and the environment (Monster’s a science geek.) But, most of all it’s a blog about a Monster and his girl.
So what does that have to do with National 4th Graders Day?
Well, it all started with me reading a list to girl.
- National Bubble Bath Day
- National Clean Your Desk Day
- National Gluten-Free Day
- Argyle Day
- Coming of Age Day
- Earth’s Rotation Day
- National English Toffee Day
- National JoyGerm Day
- Plough Monday
- Show and Tell At Work Day
- Typing Day
- War on Poverty Day
- National 4th Graders Day
Recognising girl’s contribution
Like I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted by that damn long list, National 4th Graders Day wasn’t actually on the exact bottom of the list as I read the options aloud to girl. I just put it there to for effect. I wanted to demonstrate that National 4th Graders Day probably would have been the last of all those topics I would expect to write about.
Maybe I could have talked about the effects of the War on Poverty and tied it into dirtbag hikers – maybe. I don’t really care for English Toffee, so I am not qualified to write about it’s efficacy for backpackers. I’m a self taught hunt and peck styled typist, and I’m not sure what that topic has to do with the hiking, unless I was going to stretch, bend, and fold that topic. I don’t want to clean my desk, let alone celebrate a day about cleaning my desk.
Next…
Then girl gave me her idea. It was perfect. Damn near sublime. It was very much an, “I love it when a plan comes together” moment. My girl is always brilliant, far more frequently than she will admit. I wish she’d write more, but nobody’s perfect, not even a girl’s Monster.
National 4th Graders Day, Come on Down, You’re the Next Contestant
It’s about time for girl to say, “Stop teasing the nice people Monster, can you please explain!” Here’s the headline of the news release from the National Park Service:
Every Kid Outdoors Program Provides Fourth Grade Students with Free Entrance to Public Lands
WASHINGTON – Fourth grade students can get a free annual pass to visit more than 2,000 federal recreation areas with their families, classmates, and friends. The Every Kid Outdoors Program is an interagency collaboration between the Department of the Interior, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Forest Service that provides fourth graders with free access to explore, learn, and recreate in spectacular settings, including national parks, wildlife refuges, marine sanctuaries, and forests.
Free is free, that’s really tough to beat.
The program is very family friendly. The pass grants free entry for fourth graders, as well as all children under 16 in the group, and up to three accompanying adults (or an entire car for drive-in parks) to most federally managed lands and waters.
The program focuses on children 10 years of age—the age of most fourth graders—based on research that indicates children ages 9–11 are at a unique developmental stage in their learning where they begin to understand how the world around them works in more concrete ways and they are more receptive to engaging with nature and the environment. By focusing on this age group year after year, the program aims to ensure every child in the United States has the opportunity to visit their Federal lands and waters by the time he or she is 11 years old, thereby establishing a lifelong connection to enjoy and protect our American outdoor heritage.
A free pass for every 4th grader in the land, sounds great doesn’t it? Here’s a list of participating agencies:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Forest Service
National Park Service
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
And here’s where to apply – Every Kid Outdoors.
