This Detroit Event is Getting Local Kids Outdoors

DETROIT, MI — Do you know a child who loves the outdoors or could use a little exposure to nature?

The Detroit Parks and Recreation Division (DPRD) and Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) are partnering with the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition and MotorCities National Heritage Area to continue the Every Kid Outdoors (formerly Every Kid in a Park, or EKIP) program in the City of Detroit. This initiative was originally launched as part of the National Park Service’s 2016 centennial as a way to connect fourth graders across the country to their public lands and cultural resources.

The 2019 Every Kid Outdoors events take place now through Friday, May 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Historic Fort Wayne, targeting 1,600 fourth graders.

Every Kid Outdoors is designed to inspire the next generation to discover all that our nation’s public lands and waters have to offer, including opportunities to be active, spend time with friends and family, serve as living classrooms to build critical skills, and discover our nation’s heritage.

“This is a great opportunity for our City’s youth. We are excited to be working with the National Parks Foundation to continue this program and with our many partners, including the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition, Detroit Parks & Rec, Detroit Public Schools Community District and so many others to facilitate this event,” said Shawn Pomaville-Size, Executive Director, MotorCities National Heritage Area, the non-profit affiliate of the National Park Service preserving and promoting Michigan’s automotive and labor heritage.

The National Parks Service’s Mission is to preserve the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

More than a dozen partners will present enrichment activities in science, social studies and recreation. The partners include: Detroit River Project, National Museum of the Tuskegee Airmen, Sierra Club-IOC, Wayne State University-Anthropology Department, and The United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States Forest Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Services, and Wayne County Parks.

More than 1,600 Detroit fourth graders will receive a pass that provides free access to federally managed lands and waters – including national parks, forests and wildlife refuges.

More information can be found at www.everykidinapark.gov, or by following the program on Twitter @everykidinapark, on Facebook, on Instagram and YouTube.