Almost 12,000 educators can visit state parks in Vermont this summer for free as part of the “Educator Appreciation Initiative” by the Agency of Education.
This program started from the collaborative efforts of agencies in the Education and Natural Resources sectors. School employees are provided the opportunity to get a free season day pass to all 55 Vermont state parks, according to a report.
After a historically difficult year of navigating the pandemic, the program is a way to give back to the educators. School employees who secured a season pass can use it for up to eight people in a car and enter and exit numerous times throughout the day.
“It’s an incredibly noble profession. You are indoors quite a bit, you have a tough job, and summers are getting shorter and shorter for educators. It’s not as easy as getting summers off, so if they have the chance to get outside and rejuvenate and replenish, I think that’s really important,” said Vermont State Parks Director Nate McKeen.
Vermont State Parks said they hope to continue this initiative in the future. Passes will be distributed to educators through the central office of their respective districts.
This article originally appeared on WCAX.