Program Overview
Since 1986, Expedition Yellowstone (EY) has provided life-changing experiences for students who, in many cases, would not otherwise have the opportunity to visit the park. Guided by Yellowstone’s top-notch rangers, students discover and delight in the many wonders of the world’s first national park.
Expedition Yellowstone is a curriculum-based residential education program for grades 4-8 offering students an opportunity to learn and explore in one of the world’s finest outdoor classrooms. Not only do they participate in hands-on learning aligned with national and state education standards, but they create personal connections to Yellowstone allowing them to become better stewards over the course of 4-5 days in the park.
School groups are hosted at the historic Lamar Buffalo Ranch and the Youth Conservation Corps facility in Mammoth. Many of the schools are regional from Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho but some travel from much further away such as Boston and New York City.
Yellowstone Forever Funded Scholarships
This life-changing program, though, is not something every school can afford. Many of these students are from underrepresented populations and schools that cannot afford a class trip to Yellowstone without financial assistance. Since EY is a cost recovery program in which schools pay a $50 per person/per night fee to attend, the scholarship funds allow socio-economically disadvantaged students and schools to participate in the program. The student need-based scholarships help to offset the cost recovery fees especially for Title I schools and Native American schools.
“I hear compliment after compliment about the amazing rangers—so knowledgeable, so organized, so positive and FUN! Their patience and friendly, warm teaching style leaves every student feeling that all their comments, questions, contributions were honored and valued. Students enjoyed finding signs of life on the trail. They liked learning that there is life everywhere if you know what you’re looking for. The ecology lessons were great.” –Teacher, Montana
