Educating the Next Generation

Thousands of youths and the young at heart annually can participate in engaging experiences in our parks, in their classrooms, and from anywhere in the world through education programming. Zion Education Rangers provide multiple programs that work to connect the next generation to our public lands. 

The Junior Ranger program is provided to visitors in the park every day. Participants can pick up a Junior Ranger booklet and complete activities throughout their park experience; learning Leave No Trace principals, ecology, and geology through age-appropriate activities. Once a Junior Ranger completes their booklet, they can turn it in and be sworn in as an official Zion National Park Junior Ranger. Last year more than 40,000 visitors participated in this program. During the summer season, additional programming is made possible through donor support at the Zion Nature Center. Programming provided there complements the Junior Ranger program and allows for deeper exploration into some of the booklet's activities. Daily Ranger talks also help support the Junior Ranger Program.  

Each year, local Title 1 Schools have the chance to participate in field trips to Zion National Park. For many of these students, even though they live close by, it might be their first opportunity to experience Zion National Park or interact with a Zion Ranger. As a part of the field trip program, Zion Rangers provides educators with pre-visit curriculum that connects students to Zion’s resources. Students can then experience a day in Zion, with ranger-led hikes and activities that promote stewardship and outdoor exploration. Upon their return home, students continue their learning journey with Zion with a post-field trip school visit by rangers. This program is geared towards 4th grade students and is done in conjunction with the free Every Kid Outdoors 4th grade pass.   

An additional opportunity for local schools is the Rangers in Classrooms program. This program creates lasting connections to Zion National Park with Park Rangers providing engaging curriculum-based programs for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grade students. Students learn about Zion’s geology, ecosystems, and night sky from the comfort of their own classrooms. Each year, roughly 20 schools participate in this programming, developing, and fostering a love for public lands and a greater understanding of the natural resources around them.  

Just because your classroom is not located close to Zion National Park, does not mean you cannot also participate in learning more from our outstanding Park Rangers. The Distance Learning program provides a set of curriculum programs based on learners' age and school grade, and a Chat with a Ranger option for participants of all ages to ask questions and learn more about the geology, biology, and ecology of Zion National Park. One of the things underway with the Distance Learning programming is also offering these education programs in Spanish. For many participants, Distance Learning may be the only Zion experience they have, and our Rangers work to provide the best educational opportunity no matter the distance. 

Support towards these key educational programs allows for the development of future park stewards, providing a deeper connection and understanding of the natural world.