Warmer temperatures and clear way have allowed for people to enjoy more outdoor activities. Ahead of Earth Day tomorrow, students in our area got a chance to experience one of their lessons at a national park.
Hundreds of fourth and eighth grades from around the area to the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine to celebrate National Park Week. This is part of the White House Council on Environmental Quality's "Every Kid in a Park Initiative." This nationwide program is where park rangers set up stations to teach kids about nature and the history of the park.
For most of the kids, this was their first time at a national park. They learned about the Star Spangled Banner, the American flag and what life was like for a soldier during the war of 1812.
"Not everybody gets to go out to a park like this," Shannon McLucas said. We have 43 acres of green space and vibrant space here and at the fort itself. These kids get to go out on a beautiful day with nice, fresh air to stretch their legs to get out and actually learn about history in the place where it happened."
The kids also learned various survival skills as well as how to pitch a tent.
