Join the Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK) Youth Advisors in their effort to make a video love letter to the parks and people who keep them clean and protected. We’d like to thank public land stewards of all kinds: federal park rangers with agencies like the NPS, USFWS, BLM, and USFS, as well as city and state rangers and staff at city, county, and state parks, state game lands, and state forests.

 All of these types of rangers and land stewards continue to do great work in creating places for kids to get outdoors, have fun, learn, and more. 2025 has brought threats to the departments, agencies, and staff that make the programs OAK advocates for possible, such as Every Kid Outdoors, NOAA’s BWET program, and others. OAK Youth Advisors want to make their voices heard, bring in more youth voices, and share their appreciation with and for the people who make this possible. 

Check out the Thank-a-Ranger toolkit here! The video will premiere at OAK week and then be sent to relevant departments and agencies.

Submit your video here! (Submissions due August 31, 2025.)

1. Submit a video: 
   1. Please be sure to only film videos with proper image consent/permission in place.
   2. Record a quick video (less than one minute) of kids enjoying their local parks (town, county, state, or national). These videos will show the connection between kids and the rangers who shape their experiences. Each video should start with a short introduction of your choice that could include first name, age, or what park you’re in (depending on personal comfort/preference level). You can ask questions like:
      1. Why do you love parks?
      2. Why do you want parks to be around for other kids? 
      3. What do you want to thank a ranger for?
   3. Ensure you have explicit permission for your video recording. Use the provided release form to educate people about the project and what they are consenting to.
2. Share the toolkit. Do you work with groups or youth who will be out in parks this summer? Spread the word to them.
3. Share your videos on social media and tag us.
   1. @OAK_Updates on Twitter
   2. @outdoorsallianceforkids on Instagram
   3. Outdoors Alliance for Kids on Facebook and LinkedIn
4. Share the video. When the video is released in the fall, share about it on socials, screen it at your events, or send it to your favorite rangers and parks.