Feb. 19--President Barack Obama, during a visit to Chicago on Thursday, will announce that all fourth-graders and their families will get free admission to national parks and other federal lands for a full year.
Called "Every Kid in a Park," the White House said in a statement that the initiative will start with the school year beginning in the fall, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service in 2016.
Fourth-graders and their families will be able to get a free pass that will give them admission to national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and other federal public lands and waters, according to the statement.
The White House said the initiative is part of an effort to get schoolchildren outdoors. The statement did not say why fourth-graders were chosen.
"Today, more than 80 percent of American families live in urban areas, and many lack easy access to safe outdoor spaces," the White House said. "At the same time, kids are spending more time than ever in front of screens instead of outside."
It cited a 2010 Kaiser Family Foundation study that found young people devote an average of more than seven hours a day to electronic media use, or about 53 hours a week.
Obama will talk about the initiative during a visit to Chicago to announce the designation of Pullman neighborhood as a national monument.
The administration said the initiative will also include:
--Information and resources to help teachers and families locate public lands with programs that support youth outings.
--Expansion of the "Ticket to Ride" program under which transportation grants will be made available for children to visit public lands, "focusing on schools that have the most need."
--An allocation of $20 million to the National Park Service for youth activities, "including bringing 1 million fourth-grade children from low-income areas to national parks." The funds will also be used to hire youth coordinators.
