​Holiday in the PARKS: Season 6 — A Winter Celebration Across America’s Parks

This season, something pretty magical happened.

More than 15,000 students gathered—classrooms buzzing, screens glowing, curiosity wide open—to join their ranger friends from across the country for Holiday in the PARKS: Season 6, hosted live from Pearce Elementary School in North Carolina.

Together, we celebrated 19 national park sites and learned alongside 27 incredible rangers, park staff, and volunteers who brought winter to life in the most creative and engaging ways imaginable. From snowy mountain landscapes to coastal shores shaped by cold winds and shorter days, students explored how people, wildlife, and entire ecosystems adapt when winter settles in.

They investigated how snow, ice, and darkness shape daily life in different parks. They listened to stories of winter traditions, seasonal survival skills, and celebrations rooted deeply in place. And they considered an important question together: What does it mean to explore and protect our national parks during the coldest season of the year?

And then—because learning is even better when students get to do—they became designers.

Engineering with Heart and Purpose

As part of our Engineering Design Challenge, students stepped into the role of park planners, imagining accessible and sustainable park features that make national park sites easier for everyone to enjoy. Their designs showed something powerful: stewardship isn’t just about protecting land—it’s about caring for people too. Thoughtful accessibility strengthens parks, communities, and the future of these treasured places.

The joy, creativity, and curiosity from students was unmistakable. Every ranger talk sparked questions. Every park shared a story. And every classroom reminded us why this work matters.

We are deeply grateful to our partners at the National Park Foundation for their continued collaboration and belief in bringing the parks to students everywhere.

If you missed it—or want to relive the magic—you can watch the full archive here:
👉 https://www.crossingamerica.net/holidayintheparksllivestream-120012-720639-725207.html

Holiday in the PARKS isn’t just an event. It’s a reminder that no matter where students live, the parks are theirs—in every season.