Saguaro National Park Grant: Next Generation Ranger Corps for Native American Community Engagement

Through this agreement, the National Park Service is committed to working within our local community and providing opportunities to alleviate poverty through providing employment opportunities for youth interested in public lands and conservation, as well as providing youth from under-represented areas of Tucson opportunities to gain professional development in career tracks they may not have traditionally considered available to them. Interns will also gain exposure to outdoor recreation opportunities and experiences in other national parks in Arizona.

The Next Gen Rangers will be assigned to the Division of Interpretation, Education, and Outreach at Saguaro National Park and mentored by Chip Littlefield, Education Coordinator. The interns will be given opportunities to recruit, teach, and develop park based programs for youth on the Tohono Oâ¿¿odham Indian Nation. They will also develop programs for the general public about Tohono Oâ¿¿odham Culture and assist with the management of the traditional Saguaro Harvest. In addition, the Ancestral Ranger Intern will work alongside Education Coordinator to implement and update traditional curriculum based programs and general family programming to better understand the profession of Interpretation and Education in the National Park Service. The assigned Next Gen will receive training in all of these activities and will have additional cross-training and professional training opportunities. The intern will meet regularly with the assigned mentor and report on activities and accomplishments.