March 8, 2017

The Honorable Scott Taylor

412 Cannon House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative Taylor,

My name is Jack Jacobs and I am a senior at First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach,
Virginia. I just finished teaching a class on the beauty and importance of the National Parks to
Mrs. Piehls second grade class at W.T. Cooke Elementary. I write to you in the hope that the
lands of the National Park Service remain a top priority for Congress for many years to come.

My class consisted of teaching the kids about how the lands of the National Park Service
preserve some of the most sacred natural landmarks and vistas our nation has to offer, including
places like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite Valley. They also offer opportunities for recreational
activities important for human health like hiking, biking, and climbing. In addition, research
done by Stanford University has shown that being in the natural world may help mental health as
much as it does physical health.

The Park Service also preserves important historical sites, ranging anywhere from civil war
battlefields to the birthplaces of our nations presidents to landmark locations of the Civil Rights
Movement. In Virginia Beach, we are fortunate enough to live close by to one of the most
important historical places in the country: Colonial National Historic Site and Historic
Jamestowne, which preserve the first permanent English settlement in North America. Some of
these smaller areas can be just as inspiring as the peaks of Denali National Park in Alaska.

Representative Taylor, the National Parks are more than just beautiful places to visit. They are
symbols of our nation. A visit to Yellowstone is just as patriotic as a visit to Mt. Rushmore (also
owned by the Park Service). I hope you will take into consideration the importance of these lands
throughout your service to our district.

Sincerely,
Jack Jacobs
First Colonial High School
1272 Mill Dam Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23454