It is back to school season here in Southern Utah, which means the daily Ranger-led Junior Ranger summer programming held in the Nature Center is coming to a season close. However, other Ranger led programs, like Title 1 School Field trips, Rangers in Classrooms, and Distance Learning will start soon. The impact of these programs offered to youth throughout the region and beyond is core to our organization, represented in our pillar of work titled – Informing Tomorrow.
This year was the first year of Zion Youth Stewards, an innovative program to encourage youth aged 13-18 to continue to engage in outdoor learning and exploration. 40 youth participants were able to come and camp in Zion National Park, hike the narrows, learn more about careers in public lands, and become more responsible environmental stewards. This year's program support was secured through grant funding from the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreations UCORE program.
Title 1 School Field Trips this past year were also a huge success, with more than 453 youth spending a day here in Zion for a field trip. 4th grade students from around Washington County were able to engage with the park in different formats through a three-step approach. Step 1 is a distance learning/ virtual learning visit from a Ranger to their classroom, where students learn about the Forests, Wetlands, and Deserts of Zion from the comfort of their own classrooms. Students then participate in Step 2, which is the actual day field trip into the park, where they hike, explore, and journal along the banks of the Virgin River. Step 3 takes place after their visit, with Rangers coming to visit their classroom post field trip, during which students get to present back to the Rangers about a special place in their own community. This unique approach ensures that students can deeply engage with the park and resources and create lasting memories and knowledge. This project is funded through donor support and grant funding from the National Park Foundation Program Open Outdoor for Kids to help cover the costs for transportation.
With classes back in session, we look forward to having regional classrooms participate in the Rangers in the Classroom program. In the 2024 – 2025 school year, rangers met with 2,268 youth and educators through the 5th 5th-grade curriculum program focused on geology in Zion National Park and the new K-3rd-grade literacy program, focused on the role and importance of nighttime and dark skies. These curriculum-based programs create a connection to the park in these students' own backyard and community.
Learning about Zion can take place anywhere with a Distance Learning program. As of July this year, participation continues to grow with more than 60 sessions offered to learners of all ages. Virtual visitors continue to engage with Rangers on topics related to geology, ecosystems, history, and leave no trace principles. To learn more about the programs offered, visit: https://www.nps.gov/zion/learn/education/distance-learning.htm
If you happen to be visiting the park after September 1st, the Nature Center, which is the home base for the Junior Ranger Program, will be closed for the season, but that doesn’t mean that the Junior Ranger Program stops! Stop by the Visitor Center’s information desk to pick up your copy of the Junior Ranger Handbook and check out the daily schedule for programming options in the park. You can also download a Junior Ranger Handbook from home or participate in the Virtual Junior Ranger Program from anywhere in the world.
Educational programming across our parks is core to the mission of the Zion Forever Project. If you are interested in helping to support these efforts, or would like to learn more about the programs we fund, visit: https://www.zionpark.org/pages/2025-field-guide and check out the Informing Tomorrow section of our work.
