Gittlein aspires to win national junior ranger contest

Lovell Elementary School incoming fourth grader Lucas Gittlein has high aspirations of becoming a park ranger someday. He loves learning outdoor survival techniques and cares deeply for all wildlife and nature.

Following his passion, this summer he took the opportunity to enter a national junior ranger contest sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, where the winner would receive $20,000 and the opportunity to learn from wildlife expert and television personality Jeff Corwin and appear in Ranger Rick magazine.

In his age division, there were 57 kids entered in the opening round, and after five weeks of week-long voting, Gittlein continued to advance and finished in fourth place overall.

When they came across the contest, his mom, Alena Gittlein, encouraged her son to enter, hoping he would survive and advance a week or two and earn a few badges along the way.

Throughout the contest, he did things like set up a butterfly/bee watering station in a patch of milkweed at their home, hike up Little Mountain and to see some pronghorns, hike five miles up Sykes Mountain, fix a trail marker that had been knocked over and others.

After finding some early success in the contest, Lucas said it motivated him to inspire other kids to get outside and explore and that it further increased his love for being outdoors.

Had he won the prize money, he wanted to take a family trip to Redwood National Park in California.

“My dad has been there and driven his truck through a tree, and I have always wanted to see that,” he said.

He was born in Alaska, and after the family moved to this area, they returned when he was around six months old for a wedding, and she shared a photo of his first hiking experience in Hope, Alaska, on her Facebook page, saying, “Our boy has always been the happiest outside.”

That still holds true, and he and his family often hike the local trails. He claims his favorite hike is to Paradise Falls on the Big Horns, but he loves visiting Yellowstone, as well.

Camping also allows him to practice his wilderness skills in other ways. He loves to explore the trees and wildlife and hike with his mom, while his older brother Wyatt likes to shoot and hunt.

“I love to test my survival and observation skills,” he said. “I can build a shelter, find food and start a fire.”

He also said that Spaghettios are his favorite thing to cook over the fire while camping.

There is a Junior Ranger Day held in Cody later this summer that he plans on attending where they learn outdoor first aid and safety.

Gittlein credited LES music teacher Emilie Asay as a key inspiration for his becoming a junior ranger because she had also been a park ranger.

“He came home from school all excited because the music room was decorated like a forest and with forest animals,” his mom said.

Although his dream to take home the grand prize didn’t come true, he said it was still worth it to try and appreciate how much support the community gave him with voting each week.

“I’m sure I will make it to see the Redwood Forest someday,” he said. “It just won’t be today.”