{"id":21827,"date":"2026-04-08T12:51:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T18:51:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.emnrd.nm.gov\/spd\/?p=21827"},"modified":"2026-04-08T12:52:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T18:52:58","slug":"state-parks-expands-student-transportation-grants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.emnrd.nm.gov\/spd\/blog\/2026\/04\/08\/state-parks-expands-student-transportation-grants\/","title":{"rendered":"State Parks expands student transportation Grants"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.emnrd.nm.gov\/spd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/Coyote-Creek-State-Park_Kids-in-Parks.jpg” title_text=”Coyote Creek State Park_Kids in Parks” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_post_title _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

More than 170,000 students have\u00a0participated\u00a0since 2007<\/h3>\n

SANTA FE\u00a0\u2014 New Mexico State Parks has increased funding for its Kids in Parks<\/a> transportation grant program after school requests surpassed available funds for the 2025\u20132026 school year.<\/p>\n

The program reimburses teachers for transportation costs to bring students to state parks for curriculum-based outdoor learning. For the current 2025-2026 school year, total funding increased to $34,199 \u2013 a roughly 128% increase over the program\u2019s\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0original $15,000 allocation, with State Parks providing an additional $19,199.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Kids in Parks program ensures that transportation costs don\u2019t stand in the way of students experiencing outdoor learning,\u201d said\u00a0Toby Vel\u00e1squez,\u00a0state parks division director. \u201cOur state park system offers a vast array of environmental and cultural learning opportunities that help students build lasting connections to New Mexico\u2019s natural\u00a0and cultural\u00a0resources.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since 2007, more than 170,000 students have\u00a0participated\u00a0in Kids in Parks, supported in part by voluntary contributions made through the New Mexico Personal Income Tax return.\u00a0Teacher response to the program has been unanimous: 100 percent of survey respondents said they would\u00a0participate\u00a0in another Kids in Parks field trip and would recommend the experience to a colleague.\u00a0The next grant application period is expected to open in August or September\u00a0of this year. Educators can find details at:\u00a0https:\/\/www.emnrd.nm.gov\/spd\/kids-n-parks\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIn a world increasingly threatened by climate change, environmental education students are gaining an appreciation for nature, becoming stewards of the future, and learning a sense of environmental responsibility,\u201d said Paul Mauermann, director at Sandia Mountain Natural History Center.<\/a><\/p>\n

How to\u00a0support the\u00a0program:
New Mexicans can contribute through Line 40 of the PIT\u20111 tax return or by mailing donations directly to:<\/p>\n

EMNRD \u2013 New Mexico State Parks Division<\/div>\n
1220 South St. Francis Drive<\/div>\n
Santa Fe, NM 87505<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
More information on voluntary contributions and PIT\u2011D forms is available through the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department.<\/div>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.emnrd.nm.gov\/spd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/paul_mauermann_image.2.jpg” title_text=”paul_mauermann_image.2″ _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.emnrd.nm.gov\/spd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/Rio-Grande-Nature-Center_Kids-In-Parks.jpg” title_text=”Rio Grande Nature Center_Kids In Parks” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

More than 170,000 students have\u00a0participated\u00a0since 2007 SANTA FE\u00a0\u2014 New Mexico State Parks has increased funding for its Kids in Parks transportation grant program after school requests surpassed available funds for the 2025\u20132026 school year. The program reimburses teachers for transportation costs to bring students to state parks for curriculum-based outdoor learning. For the current 2025-2026 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"MEDIA ADVISORY \r\nApril 8, 2026 \r\n\r\nState Parks expands student transportation Grants \r\nMore than 170,000 students have participated since 2007 \r\n\r\nSANTA FE \u2014 New Mexico State Parks has increased funding for its Kids in Parks transportation grant program after school requests surpassed available funds for the 2025\u20132026 school year. \r\n \r\nThe program reimburses teachers for transportation costs to bring students to state parks for curriculum-based outdoor learning. For the current 2025-2026 school year, total funding increased to $34,199 \u2013 a roughly 128% increase over the program\u2019s original $15,000 allocation, with State Parks providing an additional $19,199. \r\n \r\n\u201cThe Kids in Parks program ensures that transportation costs don\u2019t stand in the way of students experiencing outdoor learning,\u201d said Toby Vel\u00e1squez, state parks division director. \u201cOur state park system offers a vast array of environmental and cultural learning opportunities that help students build lasting connections to New Mexico\u2019s natural and cultural resources.\u201d \r\n \r\nSince 2007, more than 170,000 students have participated in Kids in Parks, supported in part by voluntary contributions made through the New Mexico Personal Income Tax return. Teacher response to the program has been unanimous: 100 percent of survey respondents said they would participate in another Kids in Parks field trip and would recommend the experience to a colleague. The next grant application period is expected to open in August or September of this year. Educators can find details at: https:\/\/www.emnrd.nm.gov\/spd\/kids-n-parks\/ \r\n \r\n \u201cIn a world increasingly threatened by climate change, environmental education students are gaining an appreciation for nature, becoming stewards of the future, and learning a sense of environmental responsibility,\u201d said Paul Mauermann, director at Sandia Mountain Natural History Center. \r\n \r\nHow to support the program: \r\nNew Mexicans can contribute through Line 40 of the PIT\u20111 tax return or by mailing donations directly to: \r\n EMNRD \u2013 New Mexico State Parks Division \r\n1220 South St. Francis Drive \r\nSanta Fe, NM 87505 \r\n \r\nMore information on voluntary contributions and PIT\u2011D forms is available through the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department.","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22,25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news-releases","category-programs"],"yoast_head":"\nState Parks expands student transportation Grants - State Parks<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emnrd.nm.gov\/spd\/blog\/2026\/04\/08\/state-parks-expands-student-transportation-grants\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"State Parks expands student transportation Grants - State Parks\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"More than 170,000 students have\u00a0participated\u00a0since 2007 SANTA FE\u00a0\u2014 New Mexico State Parks has increased funding for its Kids in Parks transportation grant program after school requests surpassed available funds for the 2025\u20132026 school year. 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