Hey Coach, what’s up? Where ya’ been?

Just got back from a road trip. I visited two national parks.

Niagara Falls in New York

http://www.nps.gov/nifa/index.htm

and Gettysburg in Pennsylvania.

http://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm

What’s a national park Coach?

A national park is very special place, set aside and protected so everyone can see them, and their children can see them, and their grandchildren can see them, and so on. Places for all of us, forever.

They are places where very big events in history took place, like Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. It can also be a place of natural beauty, like Niagara Falls in New York.

Are there any parks like that near us?

You bet!!

To find a national park near you:

http://www.npca.org/exploring-our-parks/parks/

To learn more about our national parks, you can visit the PBS site: “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” (A PBS-Ken Burns documentary)

http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/

If you don’t happen to live near a national park, there are still many other state and city parks to enjoy.

To find the parks near you, visit Discover the Forest at http://www.discovertheforest.org/

Article by: Ned M Campbell is the head coach of James Madison High School’s wrestling team in Brooklyn, NY, and is a USA Wrestling nationally certified coach. He is a West Point graduate and former U.S. Army Officer, who also teaches history at James Madison High School.  Prior to teaching, Ned M Campbell worked with children and adults with disabilities during summer programs with IAHD and Southeast Consortium,  and volunteered time supporting a therapeutic horseback riding program for youth and adults with disabilities.

Campbell is a published writer, and a contributing writer to the “Can Do” Street blog for kids and parents. In addition, he is the voice of Coach Campbell in “Can Do” Street programs.

Editor’s Note: Be sure to check out Coach Campbell’s co-article for parents, on this subject, featured on the “Can Do” Kids Parents blog at http://candostreet.com/blog-parents/