The Future of Providing Stewardship to Our Future Stewards

As the National Park Service officially enters its second century administering America's treasures, the challenges that exist in effectively educating our audiences have become increasingly apparent. Join me in seeing how just how much fun our future stewards can have learning about their National Parks. Join me in experiencing your national parks through an automated-interactive education unit and an educational SRS system.

Overview of the Present

As the National Park Service nears its centennial, much has happened to bring this land management agency to the 21st century. Just in the last ten years, NPS employees of all disciplines have benefited from the advent of technology. New vocabulary has permanently entered our daily lives which we cannot seem to be without. Our 300 million annual visitors have, what seems to be a never-ending desire and right to experience their national parks. They want that experience in every imaginable form and they want it instantaneously.

Those of us honored with the ability to wear the uniform and be given the opportunity to serve the public, may have wondered how can the needs of the visitor be effected in a positive way. Constraints in time, resources, and staffing have all left us wondering how effective are we at promoting stewardship. We often don't have any way to account for our talks, tours, and other interpretive programs. Our visitors are often with us, at our sites, for the first time.

For those providing services in the discipline of interpretation, we often find ourselves struggling to address the needs of a changing population. With the foundation of Interpretation set in place many years ago, people such as Tilden and Lewis gave us, the Interpreter, the necessary guidance and footholds to get us started down the trail of accomplishing our goals, which should all be education and stewardship. But the paths are not usually straight. In fact, current situations for some of us, place us on trails so fills with curves that we may not even know how to begin the journey.

Fear not ! One tool that we all possess; a tool that has been created by generations before us, that empowers us, enlightens millions, and shows us a clear path to the future is our tradition, our past, and our mission. As we recently celebrated another "Founder's Day, many of us get reminded of the very day that is on our shields. It is a day of beginning, not for the resource, but for the official recognition of how important these resources are and implementing the actions plans we take for the present, and preserving them for the future. How empowered does that make us? The biggest corporations could only hope to have as successful advertising and marketing plans as we do.

However, with that said, successfully interpreting these resources of phenomenal proportions, does not preclude us from keeping visions, methods, and stories current and fresh. I'm sure we could all name a boss that told us, "Good interpretation means telling the same story different all the time". I know I can.

As a U.S. park ranger at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island for the past 12 years, I have come in contact with millions of people, young and old, rich and poor, from all walks of life and regions of the world. Although my particular park site is known around the world, the array of audiences do not all know of its caretaker and what we are all about. Some have not come to expect the National Park Service to be in their own backyard unless your backyard happens to be Yellowstone. To others, the national park ranger is not seen as a source of benevolence or trust, but rather as a uniform or badge.

If stewardship is to occur, a connection with the audience must take place. If the connection is with children, the initial contact should be powerful, fun, and different (if possible). I'd like to show you the possibility of 2 new and different resources that are now in use at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.

Introduction of Ranger Sam - Our Automated Interactive Education Unit

Currently, Ranger Sam is the only automated interactive educational unit in the National Park Service. Now I know what you're thinking, don't let the competitive sourcing folks see this guy.

However, after seven years of grant writing, meetings, fellow colleagues not wanting anything to do with my discussions as they remember watching "Lost in Space" as a kid, I was finally able to mark two project items from my wish list as complete.

As a park ranger, interpreter and education specialist, I have been graced by being able to connect with children in a way that is different, inter-active, and fun. Ranger Sam helps teach a curriculum-based until on the National Park Service to kids in grades (K-3). This ranger is breaking down barriers that kids may have towards "police" type uniforms or other stereotypical images kids have with authoritative figures. Ranger Sam and his operator have the ability to bring the concepts of the National Park Service, the significance of the resource, and the establishment of stewardship from a kids perspective when they are at the height of receptivity.

Part 2. Introduction of our SRS (Student Response System)

With the further advantages of technology, my park has also been fortunate in acquiring the capability of conducting curriculum-based programming and being able to assess the success of a program while kids have fun learning the subject matter of a particular site. The applications of this wireless technology is not only proving its advantages at the park site but also in the classroom and at other functions beyond the park boundaries. We utilize this system and the flexibility it provides for all target audiences. The presenter can create custom programs to meet the needs of that target audience and create that important bond that a successful education or interpretive program seeks to achieve. In relative terms, the costs for these items is justifiable in relations to the success of accomplishing the mission of one's organization. These technologies are mirrored to maximize program effectiveness and are user friendly. The interpretive staff find it exciting to utilize and appreciate the benefit of being able to use the equipment as an assessment tool in their overall program development.

Students and teachers find this resource to be engaging, interactive and relevant. Educators and park staff have quickly recognized the powerful potential of fostering lifelong learning when technology and fun are merged together.