NPS Academy Spring Break

       In mid-march, 25 students from across the nation participated in National Park Service Academy’s spring break orientation in Grand Teton. Developed four years ago, NPS Academy introduces diverse college students to a range of career paths within the National Park Service. After the orientation, qualified students are placed in 12-week summer internships in national parks across the country. During their orientation week, students attended workshops about environmental conservation, resource interpretation, and the need to diversify visitorship to national parks across the country. Participants also went on field trips, such as snowshoe hikes, in the park with rangers and Teton Science School instructors.

 

This year’s groups contains participants from 14 different states with varied career goals. Some students, like Isamar Garcia, 23, already plan to enter careers in the park service. Others, such as Lacey Lumpkin, 20, are using this opportunity to learn more about the field of environmental conservation and to interact with like-minded students. Megan Kohli, Grand Teton's education and diversity outreach coordinator and volunteer program manager, was quoted in a recent Jackson Hole News & Guide article  about the program.  "We like to see these students come into National Park Service positions, but it’s conservation employment as a whole.” NPS Academy continues to foster motivated conservation enthusiasts who will ensure public lands thrive and that the importance of national parks is passed on to future generations.

Since its founding in Grand Teton in 2011, NPS academy has spread to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska and National Parks of New York Harbor. Over 190 students have participated in spring break sessions and completed a summer-long NPS internship. The Foundation is proud to continue to partner with Grand Teton to fund valuable experiences for college students across the country.

Photos by Ryan Sheets. www.SheetsStudios.com