BHPFA Partner Wins Award for National Park Accessibility

Celebrating Agate Fossil Beds Lead Ranger Tera Lynn Gray’s National Park Accessibility Leadership Award

We’re proud to announce Tera Lynn Gray, former Lead Interpretive Ranger at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, has been awarded the prestigious Accessibility Leadership Award from the Director of the National Park Service! With financial support from the Black Hills Parks and Forests Association, Tera Lynn’s projects at our Nebraska partners illustrated her, BHPFA’s, and our partners’ commitment to “Public Lands for All.”

A Career Dedicated to National Park Accessibility

Her impressive journey began as a seasonal park guide at Agate Fossil Beds in 2018. She worked at various parks across the country and returned to Agate Fossil Beds as Lead Interp Ranger in 2022. But everywhere she worked, she helped improve the parks’ welcoming atmosphere for everyone regardless of ability. Check out the official NPS Awards Page for Tera Lynn’s citation.

The “Dig Up the Latest Science at Agate” series highlighted female paleontologists in a completely accessible way. Featured ASL, captioning, and audio description.

Transformative Initiatives and Programs With Agate and BHPFA

Some of her notable contributions at our Nebraska sites include:

• Creating Accessible Visitor Materials. Crafting Braille brochures, large print booklets, and American Sign Language (ASL) orientation videos.
• Training and Standard Operating Procedures. Providing training on the use of UbiDuo communication devices, Assistive Listening Devices, and developing procedures for staff at Agate and Scotts Bluff.
• Distance Learning and Tours. Conducting ASL distance learning programs and leading tours for Deaf visitors, including with Forest Service’s Hudson-Meng.
• Events and Programs. With BHPFA’s financial support, arranged for ASL Interpreters and other accessibility resources at events. Just a few of them: Junior Ranger Career Day, Agate and Oglala Lakota College’s Little Shop of Physics, and countless other events.

Collaborative Efforts with BHPFA and USDA Forest Service

Many of Tera Lynn’s projects at Agate Fossil Beds and Scotts Bluff National Monument were partially funded by the BHPFA. Additionally at Agate, she partnered with the USDA Forest Service’s Hudson-Meng Bison Site Education Center, another BHPFA partner. Together, they hosted distance learning classes about paleontology sites for schools of the deaf and the blind across the country.

Recognition and Future Endeavors

The award recognizes her exceptional contributions and the sustained impact of her efforts across all BHPFA partners and public lands as a whole. Earlier this summer, she transitioned to her new role at the Harpers Ferry Center for Interpretive Media as (no surprise) Accessibility Specialist.  We look forward to seeing the innovative strides she will make in her new position. In fact, even in that new national role, she continues to challenge us here at BHPFA to consider and improve our accessibility in our products and services.