Now in our 12th year and centered around our lovable woolly mascot, Buddy Bison™, our youth and family programs help more than 20,000 students annually connect with parks around the country. Buddy Bison encourages kids to “explore outdoors, the parks are yours!”
What We Do
We engage kids with the great outdoors by providing fully funded park experiences that:
- enhance classroom curricula in science, history, and civics
- foster health and wellness through outdoor recreation
- mentor future park stewards and conservationists
Who We Serve
We annually serve approximately 300 Title I public, public charter, and private K-12 schools in 40 states and Washington, DC.
Currently, more than 80% of our students qualify for free or reduced-priced lunch, the federal indicator of low income.
How To Help
Each school is supported by individuals, corporations, federal agencies, and foundations. Help us sustain our current schools and grow to support students in all 50 states and Washington, DC.
“After not having a field trip for two years due to the pandemic, I’m glad to say that our first field trip of 2022 was a huge success! The Buddy Bison program gave the 4th graders at Vargas Elementary an amazing experience at Fort Point in San Francisco. The students had a blast making observations of the area, touring the quarters, and learning about the fort’s history. Ranger Hector was a fantastic guide as the students explored this special part of California’s history. We cannot thank the Buddy Bison program enough for facilitating this field trip experience for us!”
Danny Herron, 4th-grade teacher at Vargas Elementary in Sunnyvale, CA
To learn more about our school program or how you can support a school in your community contact, Billy Schrack, Director of Youth Programs at william@parktrust.org or call 301-279-7275 ext. 20.
Map of School Communities That We Support
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“Explore outdoors, the parks are yours!”
Buddy Bison
