Expand the Park Experience Beyond Park Boundaries through Youth Summits

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A. Project Goals ¿ The Youth Summits will increase access to local recreation opportunities and expand the park experience beyond the park boundary by offering conservation-focused multi-day immersive experiences visiting NPS sites and other local historic places to explore management issues, evaluate youth opportunities and cultural relevance, and complete service projects. Youth Summits culminate in a Town Hall event where participants present solutions to issues and questions posed by the NPS sites and other project partners. This project provides participants opportunities for training in resource conservation and vocational skills. In addition, this project provides assist in development of responsible citizenship, productive community involvement, and furthers the understanding and appreciation of natural and cultural resources through the involvement of youth and young adults in care and enhancement of public resources. B. Project Objectives ¿ The principal objective of the Youth Summits is to restore trust with communities by helping local youth understand the connections between National Park Service units and other local partner organizations and entities. This project also seeks to build a conservation stewardship legacy in middle and high school students. This project provides young adults with structured educational opportunities that promote personal growth and development of life skills. This project achieves that objective by making the varied disciplines that are integral to conservation, archeology, and cultural resource management accessible and exciting to the adolescent audience. Conservation Legacy will work with selected NPS sites (Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Big Thicket National Preserve in FY18), as well as other organizations in the surrounding communities. The Youth Summits will offer a week¿s worth of educational, recreational, and service opportunities to a diverse group of middle and high school students. The students will participate in interactive experiences to engage them in cultural and Native American heritage, Hispanic heritage, cultural heritage, archaeology, recreation tourism, and historic preservation at historic places of national importance.

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