235 and Counting

Chandler Johnson nearly blinded the park ranger at the front desk when she walked into the visitor center at Pipe Spring National Monument. She was wearing a vest covered with golden Junior Ranger badges, patches and pins from National Park Service sites. “I think I have around 235” said Chandler. Her mother, Carmen has added “wings” (panels attached at the shoulders) to the vest to make room for more.

Chandler is from Rome, Georgia and discovered the Junior Ranger programs offered by the National Park Service when she was 6 years old. “The first program I did was at Florrisant Fossil Beds National Monument [in Colorado]. A volunteer told us about it. After I did that first program I was addicted to it! I’m 12 years old now and I have had a great time learning about the National Parks.”

The goal of the National Park Service Junior Ranger Program is to connect young people to their national parks through a variety of in-park activities that are designed to introduce them to the national park system and cultivate future generations of park stewards. Programs range from simple scavenger hunts for younger children, to multi-day ranger-led activities. Over 200 National Park Service (NPS) areas currently have Junior Ranger programs.

To learn more about NPS Junior Ranger programs, visit www.nps.gov and click on “For Kids and Teachers”.

Chandler Johnson with her 235 Junior Ranger Badges at Pipe Spring National Monument.