The winners of the Traveler's first annual Take Your Family to the National Parks essay contest will be announced during National Park Week, April 16-23.

The contest drew entries from throughout the country in three age brackets -- 8-11, 12-15, and 16-18.

Students in the 8-11 age bracket were asked to address the question, "Why are national parks good for kids?"

Those in the 12-15 age bracket were asked, "If you had to write to President Obama telling him why the National Parks should be saved, what would you say and why?"

Finally, contestants in the 16-18 age bracket were asked to explain what they considered to be "the greatest threats to our national parks, and how can they be countered?"

Having gone through several preliminary rounds of judging, the finalists are now with National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, who will choose the winners and runners-up.

Grand-prize winners, one from each age bracket, will receive:

* The choice of a three-night stay for four members of their family from a range of lodgings in Badlands National Park, Big Bend National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Death Valley National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Isle Royale National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Mammoth Cave National Park, Olympic National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Shenandoah National Park, and Zion National Park.

Dates are subject to blackout, and transportation to destinations is not provided in this contest but is the responsibility of the students' parents/legal guardians.

Additionally, grand-prize winners will receive:

* A daypack courtesy of Osprey Packs

* Hiking shoes courtesy of KEEN Footwear

* Water bottles courtesy of Cascade Designs

* Annual Park pass courtesy of National Parks Conservation Association

Runners-up in each age bracket will receive:

* DVD of Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan's The National Parks: America's Best Idea courtesy of National Parks Conservation Association

* Autographed copy of photographer Ian Shive's book, The National Park's, Our American Landscape

* Collection of national park maps from National Geographic Maps