If you’ve ever dared to picture your elementary or middle school self again, what sort of things would engage you the most? What sparked your curiosity? What inspired you to ask questions, explore, and imagine what was possible?
For many of us, those moments happened outdoors. Standing beneath towering trees, looking up at a sky full of stars, or discovering something unexpected on a trail has a way of making the world feel bigger—and ourselves a little more connected to it.
Today, many students, both locally and across the country, have limited access to those kinds of experiences. That’s why Great Basin National Park partners with Great Basin National Park Foundation to bring science, nature, and discovery directly to students through hands-on education programs both inside and outside the Park boundaries.
During the 2025–26 academic year, those programs reached more students than ever before, including:
- 5,098 youth served
- 252 education programs delivered
- 236 classrooms reached
- 294 students experienced Great Basin National Park through a field trip
But the numbers only tell part of the story.
This year, the Foundation launched two new education programs that invited elementary students to become scientists themselves. Through observation, exploration, and hands-on research activities, students investigated Great Basin’s diverse ecosystems while asking big questions like,
How do does science work in national parks?
And how do humans impact their environment?
Rather than simply learning about science, students practiced it. Students conducted research and monitoring activities and collected data that contributes to ongoing work by Great Basin National Park scientists.
For students in rural communities—where opportunities to meet scientists or explore STEM careers is limited—these experiences can open doors that might otherwise remain closed.
Interacting with the national park that is in their backyard helps students envision new possibilities for their futures while building confidence, curiosity, and a sense of belonging in both science and conservation.
Jesse Gordon, a fourth-grade teacher at Eureka Elementary School, shared that:
“This program clearly enhanced student learning. …It was especially valuable for students to see potential careers connected to science topics they are already interested in, which helped make learning feel purposeful and inspiring. Programs like this are extremely valuable, especially for students in rural areas who may not otherwise have many opportunities to interact with scientists or explore STEM careers.”
For many students, a visit to Great Basin National Park is a chance to slow down, observe, ask questions, and reconnect with the sense of wonder that comes naturally to children.
Tali Vinson, a third-grade teacher at David E. Norman Elementary School, described the experience this way:
“As a teacher, it was a joy to see my normally squirrely 8- and 9-year-olds so engaged with their learning. It was the best field trip I’ve done in a long time. …[The] kids were totally engrossed in being nature detectives. They BEGGED to stay longer.”
The Foundation’s educational reach extends beyond the Park itself. Schools within a two-hour radius participate in field trips and classroom programs, while schools throughout the Great Basin region and across the country connect through virtual learning experiences. Elementary students across Nevada also benefit through a unique partnership with PBS Reno’s Curiosity Classroom.
For Meghan Dragon, an art teacher in the Las Vegas School District, the virtual experience helped her students grow to imagining beyond their city lights:
“My students have a whole new appreciation for dark skies and their importance to humans and animals. Many were so excited that they expressed a desire to learn more about astronomy.”
The Foundation also reaches youth through Great Basin Explorers, a program that provides summer camping experiences for young people who are least likely to visit a national park. For these youth, a visit to Great Basin National Park is their first opportunity to experience a remote national park, and oftentimes, their first real experience out of the city.
For a recent participant from the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada, the experience was about having time to relax and allowing curiosity to bloom:
“The nature made me feel curious and relaxed, because I realized there's more things out here than I thought. I got to relax because of the birds chirping, the water, the wind, it sounds so beautiful. I spent two to three minutes looking around, and I noticed what I really didn't notice before – there were so many more butterflies than I thought. I kept seeing butterflies coming across my face.”
For another, the trip was about discovering confidence:
“I’m proud just to be here, you know, [I’ve never gone] camping before. [I] was kind of scared to be out here, sleeping out, [but] I did like the tent, [it was] pretty cozy. [I enjoyed] bonding with my friends a little bit more, getting to know their character.”
Every field trip, classroom visit, virtual lesson, and camping experience helps create meaningful connections between young people and the natural world. Together, these experiences inspire curiosity, strengthen confidence, and encourage the next generation to see themselves as scientists, explorers, and stewards of our public lands.
Thank you for the continued support of
The National Park Foundation, Great Basin Heritage Area Partnership, Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation, and generous Great Basin Guardians like you, for helping Great Basin National Park Foundation make these place-based science education programs accessible and impactful.