Dates:
At Death Valley National Park, the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher (TRT) Program typically runs for 6 weeks between mid-May and mid-July. Exact dates will be determined by the each teacher’s individual availability. Some of this time may be completed through telework. At least three weeks must be spent within the park.
Participants:
Participants may be local teachers, or teachers from across the country. Please see below regarding travel stipend and housing options.
Program:
During the summer, this program consists of 230 hours of effort, including a major educational project, online coursework through UC Denver, and some NPS operational experiences. Death Valley National Park’s Teacher Ranger Teacher program is flexible, so some of these hours may be completed through telework.
Potential education projects include developing pre- and post-field trip activities for local teachers, web-based lesson plans for teachers across the country, online interactive timelines, and self-guided field trip materials.
When the TRT returns to the school in the fall, the teacher will spend part of their classroom time presenting their TRT projects to their own students and to a wider education audience. These presentations can be connected to NPS outreach during National Park Week in April or at other times during the school year.
Stipend:
The Teacher-Ranger-Teacher will receive a stipend to help cover travel costs and living expenses while participating in the program. The stipend will be distributed at the end of the summer once the TRT has completed all components of the program.
Housing:
When not teleworking, housing will be provided by the park. The teacher may also choose to commute.
Credit Hours:
Administration of the program, professional development hours, and graduate credit hours will be made available to participants through the University of Colorado, Denver (UC Denver) through a cooperative agreement.
Work Environment:
Death Valley is generally sunny, dry, and clear throughout the year. During the summer months, outside temperatures frequently exceed 110 degrees F. Windy and dusty conditions exist. Worktime in the park will be mostly spent indoors. Time outside may include excursions to higher, cooler elevations in the mountains.
If you are interested in learning more about this experience, please contact the Education Specialist.
