JACKSON, Wyo. – May 16, 2017 – Grand Teton Lodge Company (GTLC) announces its continued commitment to support the national Every Kid in a Park initiative by hosting, for the third year, the fourth grade class of Donald D. Stalker Elementary School from Blackfoot, Idaho, May 24-26, 2017. The class will be joined by Grand Teton National Park Superintendent, David Vela, Acting Director of the National Park Service, Mike Reynolds, and Virginia Johnson, Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior. Announced in 2015, the Every Kid in a Park initiative aims to engage and create opportunities for every fourth grade student across the country to connect with and have a meaningful experience in a Park.
This partnership between the National Park Service and the Grand Teton Lodge Company to support the Every Kid in a Park initiative provides a thrilling adventure for the fourth graders and creates lifetime memories of their adventures in the outdoors. GTLC is helping children who might not otherwise have an opportunity to have a national park experience.
During the overnight field trip to the Tetons, the students will be guided through a curriculum presented by Grand Teton National Park rangers and GLTC staff to gain a true appreciation for the Park’s flora and fauna, as well as camaraderie and recreation in the great outdoors. GTLC will be providing transportation, lodging, meals, activities and educational programming.
“We are thrilled to continue our support for Every Kid in a Park for a third year and honored National Park Service Acting Director, Mike Reynolds and Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior, Virginia Johnson, will join us,” said Alex Klein, vice president and general manager of GTLC. “Engaging our nation’s youth in our National Parks is an initiative our company is truly passionate about.”
Brandee Hewatt, principal of Donald D. Stalker Elementary added, “The Every Kid in a Park initiative is a tremendous opportunity for the fourth grade class. Many of our students and their families’ financial situations would not allow them to travel to a destination of this kind or even to stay in a hotel. This is an experience we hope the students will remember and use to further expand their education of the surrounding beauty of our area. We hope this inspires our fourth graders to have a curiosity of our nation’s parks, environment, and the world around them.”
In addition, Nature Valley has partnered with GTLC to provide backpacks, binoculars, flashlights, water bottles, ponchos and additional outdoor items to enhance their visit to the wilderness and encourage future outdoor activity.
In 2015, GTLC was the first sponsor of the Every Kid in a Park initiative to bring fourth grade students to experience the majesty of a national park and based on its success has continued to offer this amazing experience. Donald D. Stalker Elementary, a Title 1 school, is 120 miles from the Grand Teton National Park and was chosen because of its diverse student population that, while located just a few hours away, has had little exposure to its neighboring national parks.
Every Kid in a Park was designed to keep parks relevant to an increasingly urban and diverse nation, federal and state park and recreation agencies are offering Every Kid in a Park passes to all fourth graders for fee-free entry and will get many fourth graders into a national park through hosted visits.
Video from the 2016 Every Kid in a Park experience with GTLC can be seen here.
About Grand Teton Lodge Company
With a mission to preserve, protect and inspire, Grand Teton Lodge Company is an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service within Grand Teton National Park operating the lodging, restaurants, tours and activities at Jackson Lake Lodge, Jenny Lake Lodge, Colter Bay Village and Flagg Ranch Company at Headwaters Lodge & Cabins, as well as the Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club, which is located just outside the park in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. GTLC is committed to a comprehensive systematic approach to sustainable business practices that preserve the environment, provide quality service, and offer a healthy and safe place for its guests and employees. For more information visit www.gtlc.com.
About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. Vail Resorts’ subsidiaries operate ten world-class mountain resorts and three urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada; Perisher in Australia; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Vail Resorts owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.
Contact(s)
Media Contact:Kathy Thorne, Grand Teton Lodge Company, 307-543-3005, kthorne@gtlc.com