Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks (Friends) recently announced that registration for Kids2Parks, a park-equity program to bring students from Title 1 schools on State Park field trips, is now open at www.thatsmypark.org/k2p.
Registration will run through April 30 for field trips during the 2019-20 academic year.
Kids2Parks offers free educational field trips in local State Parks to select Title 1 elementary schools in Santa Cruz, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Teachers apply online for the free field trips and will be informed by May 8 if their application was selected.
Title 1 is a designation by the U.S. Department of Education that primarily indicates a high percentage of students from low-income families.
The program, a partnership between California State Parks and nonprofit Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, was field-tested in 2016 and 2017, and rolled out in 2018.
This school year, Kids2Parks is expected to serve 2,820 elementary school students, many visiting a State Park for the first time. It is funded through grants and donations.
New this year — field trips will be offered at The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park and Natural Bridges State Beach.
“Increasing access to state parks and beaches creates long-term positive impacts for students, their families and our cherished parks and beaches,” Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks Executive Director Bonny Hawley said. “We’re proud to be working with State Parks on this program and extremely thankful to our donors who help make it possible.”
For information and to apply, visit www.thatsmypark.org/k2p.
