Grand Canyon Ranger Elyssa Shalla won the 2018 Freeman Tilden Award for her "Towers & Type" interpretive project/NPS
Back in October we told you about an ingenious interpretive tool that coaxed visitors to Grand Canyon National Park to use a manual typewriter to convey their immediate thoughts while gazing into the canyon. Not only where we impressed, but so were those who picked the 2018 National Freeman Tilden Award, which goes to the top interpreter in the National Park Service.
On November 29 the ranger who created the "Towers & Type" exhibit at Grand Canyon, Elyssa Shalla, was presented with the award at the National Association for Interpretation Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Shalla's program was deemed an excellent example of an audience-centered experience (ACE). For this particular program, a typewriter was set up for three days at Plateau Point, which is located near Indian Garden, below the South Rim of the park. Plateau Point offers a well-known scenic view, and requires a 12-mile round trip hike. Due to its remoteness, visitors along this trail do not usually have the opportunity to connect with park staff or other visitors.
The typewriter was placed where visitors could share their thoughts. After three days, 76 entries were found on the typewriter. These stories were digitized and an Adobe Spark page was created so that the ACE pop-up could be captured and shared beyond its installation. This project has provided for a meaningful visitor experience, as well as inspired and motivated Shalla’s peers.
Shalla has worked for the National Park Service for eight years. She started her career as a volunteer in Grand Canyon before moving on to become a park guide in 2010 and a park ranger in 2014.
Comments
That is such a cool way to use technology and enjoy the granduer of the Grand Canyon.
Tom Hanks would approve.
Is there any way I could email Ellysa Shalla? I would like to ask her about speaking at the North Rim this coming summer in August about the 17th. We will be there the nights of the 16th , 17th, and 18th. She told me to let her know when I would be back at the NR. I would love to give another talk, if you think people would be interested. Vishnu Temple Press is publishing my book which contains mostly my father's memoirs and stories of how the Burro Brighty helped Dad carry water for the camp operation, the Wylie Way. Dad's picture on Brihty hangs in the Grand Canyon Lodge in the Sun Room. Thanks for your time, Martha McKee Krueger, [email protected]
I won't look up her email and post PII, but in general, NPS email addresses are firstname underscore lastname @nps.gov so [email protected]
Alternatively, the Grand Canyon website will have a contact us page at www.nps.gov/grca/contacts.htm with an email address for general information. The person monitoring that email may forward your message to Ellysa.
Thanks for the information. I will try these options. Martha Krueger.