A Young Voice for Public Lands: Point Loma Student Wins National C-SPAN Film Award with National Parks Documentary
Written by CNMF Outreach Coordinator, Adriana Wolf. Source Article: By Madison Beveridge / Pt Loma-OB Monthly SDUT / May 25, 2025
Last week, Daniel Steinhauer--an 8th-grade student at Correia Middle School in Point Loma—was awarded an Honorable Mention in the prestigious 2025 C-SPAN StudentCam competition, a national contest that challenges middle and high school students to create original short documentaries on issues that affect their communities and our nation.
Selected from nearly 1,700 entries nationwide, Daniel’s short documentary, “Preservation of Our National Parks,” is a thoughtful and urgent call to action for the future of public lands. Through compelling storytelling and interviews with National Park Service staff and volunteers, Daniel sheds light on the very real challenges facing national parks today—and the need for stronger support, funding, and education to protect these treasured spaces for generations to come.
In his film, Daniel highlights the increasing pressures on national parks, from increased visitation to understaffing. His interviews offer candid, on-the-ground insight into the reality of working within a strained system.
“Overall, it’s definitely a lack of funding,” explains Taro Katayama, Biologist at Cabrillo National Monument. “At [Cabrillo] in particular, there used to be double—almost triple—the amount of people who used to work here. Our natural resources division is only three people. All the vegetation, all the tidepool management is just run by us three people.”
Daniel also features Olivia, a volunteer park rover at Cabrillo, who emphasized the importance of youth engagement and environmental education, sharing,
“I think the most important thing that young people can do is start to learn about the nature around them. It’s really hard to care about preserving something if you don’t actually know what you are preserving.”
Daniel’s message is clear: protecting our National Parks demands action—ongoing funding, legislative support, and environmental education that empowers the next generation of park stewards. He concludes his film with a poignant call to action:
"If we could help fund the National Parks and work together to try to pass laws that help decrease the amount of decline in the National Park system while keeping the wildlife alive and people educated, National Parks will stay strong and beautiful.”
At Cabrillo National Monument Foundation (CNMF), we’re proud to support the park staff and volunteers featured in Daniel’s film. His message echoes what we work toward every day: ensuring that national parks remain protected, funded, and accessible for future generations. Through the support of our members, donors, event sponsors, and community partners, CNMF helps fill critical gaps—funding projects in conservation, education, visitor safety, youth programs, and more at San Diego’s National Park.
“Preservation of Our National Parks “reminds us that advocacy can start early—and that young voices have power. Congratulations, Daniel! Your creativity, research, and passion are a gift to public lands—and a powerful reminder of why these places are worth protecting.
Interested in supporting youth engagement, education, and conservation at Cabrillo? Become a member or donate today