National Park Service advances plans to relocate Chequamegon Point Light Tower
(Apostle Islands National Lakeshore News Release) BAYFIELD, Wis. — Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has awarded a...
Friends donation supports Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Junior Rangers program
Thousands of children who aspire to become Apostle Islands Junior Rangers will be able to complete their activity booklets, take the oath and earn their badges thanks in part to Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. In support of our Education Pillar, the Friends board of directors approved a request from the park to pay for printing of 2,000 booklets, to support the Lakeshore’s ongoing Junior Rangers program.
The National Park Service Junior Ranger program is an activity-based educational initiative designed for children from 4 to 12 years old and their families.
Like many of the more than 300 NPS units offering the program, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has its own booklet and activities. The Apostle Islands booklet includes activities featuring the lighthouses, island history, nature and Ojibwemowin, the Ojibwe Language.
Lucas Westcott unloads boxes of Junior Rangers booklets at park headquarters in Bayfield – Jeff Rennicke photo
Interior pages from the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Junior Rangers booklet – click to enlarge
Upon completion of the booklet, Junior Rangers take an oath that recognizes their roles as future caretakers of the parks we love. As Ranger Steve Ballou recited, “As an Apostle Islands Junior Ranger, I promise to explore, learn about and protect this magical place where water and land meet sky, and the natural and human stories it contains. I further pledge to share the wonders of this park and others with my friends and live each day as a friend to our communities, my parks, and the earth.”
Junior Rangers also receive a special collectible badge.
Junior Rangers taking the oath outside Lakeshore headquarters in Bayfield – NPS Photo
National Park Service historians trace the origins of the Junior Rangers Program back to the Yosemite Junior Nature School begun in 1930 by park naturalist Charles A. Harwell. That program engaged young visitors in nature activities, answering questions and attending meetings. It was so successful that by the 1960s other parks adopted similar programs. National standards were established by 2005, and the number of participating parks soared.
Lucas Westcott, Director of Communications and Education for the Lakeshore says, “Junior Ranger books are a tradition for generations of park visitors. The Friends willingness to help continue that tradition here at Apostle Islands will bring smiles to the faces of visitors young and old.”
For those unable to visit the Lakeshore to participate, the National Park Service offers an online alternative. The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore also has a web page dedicated to its Junior Rangers Program. It includes instructions on how kids can participate from home. Friends is proud to support the Junior Rangers Program and to inspire the next generation of people who Love Our Lakeshore.
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