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Youth Day Online Registration
The Youth Day will be held on Friday, March 22 from 8:30am to 2:30pm. It will take place at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility located just west of I-17 on Carefree Highway in north Phoenix. Students will experience numerous outdoor recreation opportunities like fishing and geocaching, see live animals while learning about Arizona’s native wildlife, listen to a variety of engaging presentations, and visit dozens of hands-on educational booths.
Please review the information below. If you have additional questions, do not hesitate to contact Eric Proctor at eproctor@azgfd.gov or 623-236-7243.
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED FOR YOUTH DAY.
Below you will find lots of information that will help you plan your day. In addition, we have provided educational activities to bring the learning back to your classroom. Check back as information is updated.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Eric Proctor at 623 236-7243 or eproctor@azgfd.gov.
NEW Maps: Event Layout and Parking Map [PDF]
Parking: Buses will park in the north parking area located at the corner of Long Shot Drive and Calle Sillouetta. Cars and other vehicles will park in the south parking area. Staff will be on hand to direct drivers to the appropriate locations.
Lunch: If you are bringing lunches, plans should be made to store these back at the vehicle or carried by the students in a backpack or similar container. There are no designated locations to store coolers.
Food vendors will be on site, as well. Below is a sample of some of the typical food items for sale at last year's event and their costs. Please be advised that information is subject to change.
- Complete Meal - Brat or Hot Dog/Chips/Drink - $5
- Drinks - Start at $1
- Kettle Korn - $3 - $7
- Shaved Ice - $3 - $5
- Ice Cream - $3 - $5
- Mini donuts - $5
- Nachos - $3
- Tacos/Burritos - $3.50 - $5
- Fries - $6
Additional food items will be available on-site.
What to Bring:
- Water
- Sunscreen
- Bag or backpack (to carry all the crafts and goodies received at event)
- Snacks and/or lunch, or money to purchase food
Participants may also wish to bring money. In addition to the food vendors, souvenirs (such as hats, shirts, stuffed animals, and educational games) may be for sale.
Video and Photo Footage: Please be advised that there will be AGFD department photographers and film crew at the event on Friday. In addition, local news media may be present to film live shots or video promos.
If you have any concerns about photos or videos prior to the event, please contact Kellie Tharp by phone at 623-236-7238 or by email at ktharp@azgfd.gov.
Event Logistics: There is no "correct" way to experience the Youth Day event. Upon arrival, you are free to visit whichever activities you feel will be the most valuable. The majority of the events are available on a "drop in" basis, allowing you to simply approach the booth and participate. At times, a line may form (e.g., Youth Fishing) and a short wait may be required.
Most activities are planned to address all age levels. However, some are recommended for younger or older audiences, and a few require participants to be a specific age.
Chaperones: There is no mandatory ratio of students to chaperones. However, Youth Day takes place over a rather large area with hundreds, if not thousands, of other people. Responsible adult chaperones should only be accountable for a small number of children. We recommend a ratio no larger than 8 children for each adult.
NEW Passport: Since we have a large number of students and chaperones attending the event, please be aware that every student will not be able to do every activity. We are creating a “Passport” that will highlight and provide suggestions for some of the day's activities. Please be aware: Event chaperones will be responsible to choose the activities or demonstration that their group attends, and check them off as they complete them.
Keep in mind that some of the activities will be there throughout the weekend. If your students did not get to participate in a particular activity or they wish to spend more time, encourage them to attend with their families.
Educators can print the passports out (4 passports per page). They are intended to be printed double-sided. Then, punch a hole at the top, thread it with yarn or a lanyard, and have the the students wear the passport to keep track of it.
- Expo Activity Passport [PDF]
CHECK OUT SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES
Wildlife Conservation Hall of Fame: Who deserves to be recognized as a monumental figure in wildlife conservation? What are the events and ideas that had the biggest impact on wildlife management? The Department is pleased to announce a new educational display developed specifically for this event. The Youth Day Wildlife Conservation Hall of Fame will feature some of the key historical figures, events and ideas in wildlife conservation and management. Each year, nominees will be selected by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Then, Youth Day participants will have the opportunity to vote for which ones most deserve to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and displayed at the event.
Please note: this is an educational activity designed specifically for the Youth Day and does not represent a formal and permanent display.
NEW Presentations: Do not miss the educational presentations that will be taking place regularly throughout the day. This year, we are very pleased to have FIVE different types of presentations. Like last year, there will be a series of talks on local wildlife, as well as age-appropriate gun safety presentations. New, we will have storytellers and a local author reading some of her books about Arizona.
In addition, we plan to have a variety of unscheduled, impromptu presentations/live wildlife encounters that will occur throughout the day at a specially designed "Wildlife on the Loose!" encounter area.
Below is the schedule for the different formal presentations.
NEW Storytelling - Students and faculty from South Mountain Community College's Storytelling Institute will tell stories about animals or related to the theme "Go Play Outside!" These stories are appropriate for all ages from young children to adult. However, slightly more age appropriate stories are being planned based on the following schedule:
- 10:15am - High school and adults
- 11:00am - Grades 6-8
- 12:30pm - Grades 3-5
- 1:15pm - Grades K-2 (and younger)
NEW Arizona storytime - Award winning author Barbara Gowan (www.BarbaraGowan.com) will share the rhymes and riddles of Little Arizona, complete with puppets and props. As a bonus, she will discuss writing strategies. Participants will have the opportunity to enter their own Arizona wildlife riddle in a contest. Ms. Gowan is the author of renowned books including G is for Grand Canyon – an Arizona alphabet and Desert Digits – an Arizona number book. She will also be available at select times to sign copies of her books.
Arizona Storytime will occur at:
NEW Live Wildlife Presentations - Arizona Game and Fish Department staff and volunteers will be presenting a series of themed presentations with live wildlife. Guests will have the opportunity to see some interesting native wildlife while learning a little about their natural history. The presentations will be:
- 9:00am - Owls
- 10:00am - Mammals
- 11:00am - Reptiles
- 12:00pm - Kestrels and Eagles
- 1:00pm - Animal Adaptations
NEW Gun Safety Presentations - Presented by Shooter’s World, these age-appropriate presentations will focus on gun safety in the home and other environments. The content is the same but each talk has been geared for specific grade levels. The schedule for presentations is:
- 9:00am - Elementary school
- 10:00am - Middle school
- 11:00am - High school
- 12:00pm - Elementary school
- 1:00pm - Middle school
- 2:00pm - Elementary school
NEW Printable version of the presentation schedules [PDF]
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Below you will find some supplemental activities to bring into your classroom before and after the event, along with brief standards correlations. Additional activities may be added as we get closer to the event.
For supplemental activites and resources, scroll down or click on the appropriate grade level range:
ARIZONA ACADEMIC STANDARDS CORRELATION
The following concepts described in the Arizona state education standards will be addressed throughout the numerous activities taking place. Specific POs addressed will vary by grade level.
Science Strand 2: History and Nature of Science
- Concept 1: Identify individual, cultural, and technological contributions to scientific knowledge. (K-12)
- Concept 2: Understand how science is a process for generating knowledge. (K-8)
Science Strand 3: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
- Concept 1: Describe the interactions between human populations, natural hazards, and the environment. (K-12)
Science Strand 4: Life Science
- Concept 3: Understand and analyze the relationships among various organisms and their environment. (K-12)
- Concept 4: Identify plant and animal adaptations (both structural and behavioral). (K-8)
Physical Activity Standard 3: Students exhibit a physically active lifestyle.
Physical Activity Standard 6: Students demonstrate understanding and respect for differences among people in physical activity settings.
Physical Activity Standard 7: Students develop behavioral skills (self-management skills) essential to maintaining a physically active lifestyle.
Workplace Skills Standard 5: Students will demonstrate a set of marketable skills that enhance career options.
RELATED CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
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Animal Olympics
North American Model
General Wildlife
Outdoor Recreation
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Youth Day Online Registration
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