PA Dept of Agriculture Announces Reading Ranger Program Grey Towers National Historic Site is proudly offering a free Reading Ranger Program for the summer of 2024. This is the second year that the reading program is taking place on the grounds. This program will include read-aloud stories focusing on environmentalism and conservation read by a Forest Service Ranger on Monday mornings. The readings will be followed by a craft activity, hike, or scavenger hunt. Parents are required to remain with children during this program. The Reading Ranger Program will be held at the lower pavilion, located at the lower parking lot of Grey Towers from 10:00am to 11:00am. The schedule is as follows for children ages 4 to 13: June 10, 2024, Smokey’s Story: with Rudy Wendelin Exhibit Tour June 17, 2023, Kids Making a Difference in Their Communities June24, 2024, Noticing the World Around You July 01, 2024, Fire and Fireworks Safety July 8, 2024, Fire Management and Fire Towers: with hike to the fire tower July 15, 2024, Conservation and Community: learning about Gifford Pinchot July 22, 2024, Trees at Grey Towers: tree identification and trail hike July 29, 2024, Invasive Species Management: identification, Discovery Trail log August 05, 2024, 2024 Smokey 80th Birthday: preparation for celebration, birthday card August 12, 2024, Box Turtle at Long Pond: create your own turtle story Grey Towers National Historic Site was donated to the US Forest Service by the Pinchot family in 1963. It is the former home of Gifford Pinchot, founder and first chief of the Forest Service and Cornelia Pinchot, suffragette and advocate for children’s rights and education. Public programs such as the Reading Ranger program enable the US Forest Service to continue the Pinchot legacy and the tradition of inviting the community to enjoy our natural resources at this historic site. The US Forest Service was able to expand the Reading Ranger Program for 2024 with the Every Kid Outdoors grant to help encourage fourth grade students to appreciate and visit public lands. An RSVP is not necessary. For more information please visit www.fs.usda.gov/greytowers , www.facebook.com/GreyTowersNHS or www.twitter.com/GreytowersNHS.
Grey Towers National Historic Site Celebrates Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday June 10, through June 21, 2024, Grey Towers National Historic Site will host several historic Smokey Bear paintings that can be viewed for free. We are excited to be just one of 14 national forests and grasslands in the Nation to host the paintings by Rudolph (Rudy) Wendelin. The national painting tour is part of Smokey Bear’s 2024 birthday celebration. On loan from the USDA National Agricultural Library, these replica paintings were completed from 1977 through 1995 and remain the most famous depictions of Smokey Bear. Painter Rudy Wendelin worked for the Forest Service as an illustrator beginning in 1933 and was the mastermind behind Smokey’s human like appearance in his signature ranger hat and blue jeans. Thanks to Wendelin’s art, Smokey’s message “Only YOU can prevent wildfires” has prevailed through the generations. The paintings will be located in the mansion tower and will be available for free viewing from June 10 to June 21, 2024, from 10:30am until 3:00pm. There will be ticketed public museum tours offered as well on Thursdays through Mondays at 11am, noon, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm for the month of June. Tours last approximately one hour and are the ground floor museum and the gardens area. Tickets are $10.00 per adult, 12-17 year olds are $5.00 and 11 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased the day of the tour in person at our Visitor Center located at the historic outbuilding the Letterbox. Sunday June 16, 2024, Grey Towers will be offering a open house with a reduce adult rate of $5.00. The first floor museum will be open for ticketed guest to walk through from noon until 3pm. For groups over 12 visitors, please contact the Jared Simister at Jared.simister@usda.gov to arrange a group tour. In the event that the collection delivery is delayed, adjusted details on viewing the Smokey Bear paintings will be posted to our website www.fs.usda.gov/greytowers and our Facebook page www.facebook.com/GreyTowersNHS. The public can do their part to prevent human-caused wildfires and take Smokey’s message #onlyyou personally this year. Smokey Bear turns 80 this August, and the Forest Service is keen on celebrating this milestone to increase fire prevention awareness across the country. More information on Smokey Bear and his message can be viewed at www.smokeybear.com.
PA Dept of Agriculture Announces Junior Ranger Program Starting June 10, 2024 through the Department of Agriculture, the Junior Ranger Program at Grey Towers National Historic Site will commence. Children of all ages can participate in this free program. Children will be given a workbook with activities to be completed on the grounds. After the child finishes the activities in the workbook such as scavenger hunts and conservation-based questions, they will have the opportunity to be sworn in as a Junior Ranger at Grey Towers NHS. The Junior Ranger will then be given the official prestigious wooden Junior Ranger badge. The Junior Ranger program is designed to encourage children to appreciate nature and be more aware of the world around them. Junior Ranger workbooks can be found at our Visitor Center starting at 10:30am and completed workbooks can be given to staff by 3:00pm on museum tour days. Children must be present to receive a badge. For additional information please visit or website at www.fs.usda.gov/greytowers or on social media at www.facebook.com/GreyTowersNHS or www.twitter.com/GreytowersNHS .
Johnson College Enrolling Students from Rural Areas into Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program Johnson College is now enrolling for its new USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program. This remote education program for high school and adult students in the rural areas of Wayne, Pike, and Susquehanna counties launches on August 30, 2021. It creates a direct route for students to complete any of Johnson College’s 15 academic programs and ultimately a fulfilling career with family-sustaining wages while staying in their communities. To learn more about this program or to register for courses listed below, please visit Johnson.edu/usda-registration or email the Johnson College enrollment team at enroll@johnson.edu. Students will have interactive, two-way access to Johnson College faculty and participate in remote education, discussions, testing, and skill demonstrations via high-tech telecommunications equipment in classrooms at Forest City Regional High School, Honesdale High School, Wallenpaupack Area High School, and Western Wayne High School. In addition, Lakeville Library, Newfoundland Library, and Pleasant Mount Library will be equipped with laptops to give community residents access to career exploration services and information about courses at Johnson College. In addition to the distance learning opportunity this program provides, students will have access to Johnson College’s full array of on-campus support services including tutoring, counseling, career services, financial aid, internship opportunities, and exposure to industry from day one. Distance learning will help high school and adult students reach their full potential and connect with the region’s essential careers already in demand. This program is funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program. Courses available through Honesdale High School ART 101-1-Blueprint Reading for Welders – Wednesdays and Fridays, 4 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.MAT 100-1- Math for Welders – Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.BTT 149-4 – Construction Safety – Mondays, 5 p.m. – 6:50 p.m.MAT 123-1 – Math for Carpenters – Thursdays, 4 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.ART 110-4 – Contract Drawings – Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.BTT 105-2- Introduction to Electricity for the Trades – Online, available anytimeBTT 106-3- Induction to Electricity for the Trades Lab – Tuesdays, 6 p.m. – 9:50 p.m.ECM 273-1- National Electrical Code Interpretation – Mondays, 5 p.m. – 5:50 p.m. Courses available through Wallenpaupack Area High School EET 161-1 – DC Electricity and Instrumentation – Online, available anytimeEET 162-1 – DC Electricity and Instrumentation Lab – Tuesdays, 6 p.m. – 7:50 p.m.AMT 255-1 – Additive Manufacturing – Online, available anytimeAMT 256-1 – Additive Manufacturing Lab – Thursdays, 8 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.ART 105-1 – Blueprint & Schematic Reading – Mondays, 1 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. CIT 181 – 1 – Computer Hardware and Operating System – Online, available anytimeCIT 182 – 2 – Computer Hardware and Operating System Lab – Tuesdays, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.CIT 183 – 1 – Network Architectures, Principles, and Protocols – Online, available anytimeCIT 184 – 3 – Network Architectures, Principles, and Protocols Lab – Wednesdays, 6 p.m. – 7:50 p.m.PRG 101 – 2 – Programming for the Enterprise – Wednesdays, 3 p.m. – 5:50 p.m. Courses available through Western Wayne High School ART 110-4 – Contract Drawings – Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. VMR 151-3 – Introduction to Vehicle Maintenance – Wednesdays, 5 p.m. – 5:50 p.m. VMR 153-3 – Brake Systems – Mondays, 5 p.m. – 6:50 p.m.VMR 154-3 – Brake Systems Lab – Mondays, 7 p.m. – 8:50 p.m.VMR 155-3 – Steering & Suspensions – Thursdays, 5 p.m. – 6:50 p.m. VMR 156-3 – Steering & Suspensions Lab – Thursdays, 7 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. Courses available through Forest City Regional High School ART 110-4 – Contract Drawings – Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.ADT 151-1 – Introduction to CAD – Online, available anytime ADT-152-2 – Introduction to CAD Lab – Lunch & Learn, 11 a.m. – 12:06 p.m. (High School Students Only)SSS 101- 6 – Student Success Seminar – Mondays, 3 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.BUS 101-4 – Introduction to Business – Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.SCI 150-1 – How it Works – Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. BTT 103-3 Introduction to Pipefitting – Online, available anytimeBTT 104-3- Introduction to Pipefitting Lab – Wednesdays, 1 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.
