Fourteen-year-old Connor Jennings came to Booker T. Washington State Park a city dweller, having no clue how to function in the woods. Participating in the park’s four-day Junior Ranger program taught him some basic skills to survive.
“If I go out in the woods and get lost, I’ll know what to do with the compass,” said the Hixson Middle School eighth-grader.
He was among nearly two dozen teenagers from the Boys to Men mentoring program who participated in the park’s annual four-day Junior Ranger program this summer. The Tennessee State Parks program is designed to give boys and girls ages 10 to 15 a fresh look at the world around them.
State parks throughout Tennessee participate in the Junior Ranger program, with activities and age ranges depending on the park. Programming draws upon the skills of rangers and other educators to teach skills such as hiking safety, how to use a compass, insect identification and how to respond if they find themselves near a snake.
Short answer: Try not to get too close.