Lassen Volcanic National Park offers memorable educational opportunities for schools and youth groups where visitors discover the wonder and mysteries of volcanoes, roaring fumaroles (steam and volcanic-gas vents), thumping mud pots, boiling pools, and steaming ground. The park also features mountain lakes and meadows, unique wildflowers, and offers wonderful educational opportunities.
Learn about the park’s ranger-led programs offering a variety of curricula, internships, a snowshoeprogram, summer camps, and the park’s Discovery Center and Science Lab.
The education programs listed below are free to participants by reservation; sign up early to reserve your group’s spot.
Ranger-Led Onsite Education Programs
Lassen Volcanic National Park serves public and private school students, and service groups, in kindergarten through college from 32 counties in California. A variety of programs are offered to meet school curriculum needs, including volcano and earth science programs. These ranger-led education programs are offered from May through October.
Astrobiology Intern Program
A unique program linked to the NASA Mission to Mars project, the Lassen Astrobiology Intern program provides students from Red Bluff High School the opportunity to conduct research with NASA scientists while using the park as an outdoor laboratory. The program was created by Lassen Volcanic National Park in partnership with NASA and Red Bluff High School and is funded by NASA’s Astrobiology Institute and Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Interpretive Intern Program
The Interpretive Intern program is a unique three-week summer program offered in partnership with local high schools, the Lassen Park Foundation, and Lassen Volcanic National Park. Now in its 21st year, the Intern program offers a service-based learning experience open to students in grades 11 and 12, including graduating seniors. The program provides high school students with the opportunity to receive on-the-job training while working in a variety of interpretation and park operations activities at the park.
Volcano Adventures Summer Youth Camp
Lassen Summer Youth Camp is designed to provide opportunities for youth groups from schools and other organizations to camp in the park during summer and fall months as part of a partnership with Lassen Volcanic National Park and the Lassen Park Foundation. The program combines structured activities and outdoor programs to increase participants’ understanding of the park and to model healthy lifestyles/physical fitness in an outdoor setting. This program is funded by grants from the Lassen Park Foundation.
Manzanita Lake Discovery Center
The Discovery Center is a summer and fall education center with a science lab as well as exhibit learning stations for students and the general public. Popular with school groups, this facility provides many educational opportunities for students to learn about the park and its natural resources.
Winter Ecology Snowshoe Program
This program for school groups is offered January through March. Coordinated and developed by the park’s Education Specialist, this popular program serves schools from six counties. This program is run in conjunction with the Winter Survival and Snow Shelter program. All programs are designed to meet the curriculum needs of individual schools from grades 3-12. The park provides the snowshoes for both children and adults who attend this program.
For more information about these programs contact Education Specialist Steve Zachary at (530) 595-6132. Also find a wide range of information at http://www.nps.gov/lavo
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