(National Park Service) Friends of the Park

Status: Past Project
Possible Hours: 4
Categories: Senior Citizens, Military and Veterans, Citizenship and Civic Engagement, Environment and Sustainability, Health and Wellness, History and Culture
Schools: Open to All Schools

At each Friends of the Park cleanup for the month, volunteers are tasked with helping Park Rangers beautify different National Park sites on Guam.
These sites include Asan Beach, Ga’an andApaca Point, Piti Guns, Fonte Plateau, and Asan Bay Overlook.
Please contact Rangers for the location. Long-term volunteers can also become eligible to receive park appreciation awards!

The objectives for the Friends of the Park project include assisting in the revitalization and maintenance of National Park sites for community enjoyment while promoting civic responsibility through active participation in community service. The project aims to provide youth with safe and engaging environments for play and exercise, encouraging awareness and education about environmental sustainability and park preservation. By fostering teamwork and collaboration among students while they work with Park Rangers and community members, the project enhances students' understanding of the importance of keeping natural spaces clean and accessible. Additionally, the initiative supports physical health and wellness through outdoor activities and volunteer work, creating opportunities for students to reflect on civic engagement and its impact on their community. Ultimately, the project seeks to develop skills in public service and instill a sense of pride in contributing to local heritage and resources.

Preparation Instruction:

- Volunteers need to fill out official volunteer forms (OF301a), minors need parent/guardian signatures.
- Volunteers should be prepared to work 1-4 hours in the sun. Sunblock, hats, and closed toes shoes are recommended.
- Please also bring a container to hold water, and bugspray in case of mosquitos!

Activity Instruction:

During our Friends of the Park activities, volunteers typically pick up trash using equipment, supplies and PPE (personal protective equipment) provided by the park for use during the cleanup.
While most of our Friends of the Park cleanups consist of trash collection, volunteers are sometimes tasked to help Park Rangers clean up hiking trails and signs along those trails.
The activity may also include cleaning plaques at Asan Bay Overlook.

Reflection Instruction:

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- Why is it important to you to keep National Parks clean?
- Why should we protect the environment?
- Is preserving Guam’s history important to you? Why or why not?
- What are ways that you as an individual make a difference in combating the dumping and littering issue in Guam?
- Write a poem about threats to our natural world.
- Create a public service announcement about littering, dumping or other threats to our island and ways to combat the problem.

Learning Standards/Objectives:

Social Studies Standard 4: Government and Civics AG.4.17

- Explain the importance of thoughtful and effective participation in civic life, including performing public service. This standard emphasizes the value of engaging in community service, which aligns directly with the Friends of the Park project.

Social Studies Standard 4: Government and Civics AG.4.16

- Practice personal character traits that facilitate thoughtful and effective participation in civic life, including the

following:Trustworthiness and honesty, Courtesy and respect for the rights of others, Responsibility, accountability, and self-reliance, Respect for the law

Physical Education Standard 5: Responsible Personal and Social Behavior

- Students exhibit responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in physical activity settings. The project encourages students to demonstrate shared responsibility for the environment and community.

Physical Education Standard 3: Physical Activity

HS.3.1: Identify available community resources that promote an active lifestyle.

HS.3.2: Demonstrate and participate in physical activities that contribute to health-related fitness components.

HS.3.3: Participate regularly in lifetime physical activities that contribute to improved physical fitness and wellness.

Science Standard 2: Life Science BI.2.26

- Explain that the amount of life any environment can support is limited by the available energy, water, oxygen, and minerals, and by the ability of ecosystems to recycle the residue of dead organic materials; recognize, therefore, that human activities and technology can change the flow and reduce the fertility of the land.

CONTACT PERSON DETAILS

Name: Kina Lewis Mary Reidhead

Phone: (671) 333-4055/1

Email: kina_lewis@nps.gov mary_reidhead@nps.gov

Organization/Agency/Business Name: War in the Pacific National Historical Park (National Park Service)

(National Park Service) Friends of the Park