President Obama has proclaimed June 2012 as great outdoors month!

And in recognition of this proclamation, many of our nation’s 398 National Parks will be hosting unique programs, special events and exciting educational opportunities to encourage everyone to explore the great outdoors.

Keeping that theme in mind, Natchez National Historical Park is pleased to announce that the registration for our Junior Ranger Camp has begun.

Once again, the camp is free for kids ages 8-12. Space is limited to 25 campers per week, on a first come, first served basis and camp registration must be done in-person. The two Junior Ranger Camps are being presented on June 11-15 and July 9-13.

This year, our Junior Rangers will “get outdoors” through enjoyable curriculum-based activities, crafts, games and music, as well as field trips to St. Catherine’s Creek Wildlife Refuge and special tours of Melrose and the William Johnson House.

These activities will engage Junior Rangers in the unique history of Natchez and the Mississippi River, from the pre-historic period to the modern age. One goal of our Junior Ranger Camp is to instill in the participants a sense of pride and stewardship for our country’s irreplaceable natural and cultural resources preserved by the National Park Service.

In the future, the Natchez National Historical Park will sponsor history camp activities for area schools and will host “Junior Ranger Days” to reach kids and their families in the Miss-Lou. These activities will include “detective” games investigating the life of William Johnson, Native American rituals like “Little Brother of War,” and a hands-on discovery of items from different National Parks along the Mississippi.

Natchez National Historical Park is also asking interested teachers from area schools to help us in evaluating the effectiveness of our programs.

We can arrange for class visits to present our programs and provide opportunities for teachers to review our plans and offer suggestions.

Natchez National Historical Park always welcomes volunteers who might like to assist with any of our programs, including Junior Ranger Camp.

Please join Natchez National Historical Park in connecting our children to America’s National Parks.

For more information about our Junior Ranger Camp, becoming a volunteer, or any of our other activities, please call 601-446-5790 or 601-446-8601.

 

Melissa Tynes is a ranger for the Natchez National Historical Park.