The competition is fierce for 4-year-old Loveland resident Carli Gray who’s in the running to be the nation’s next Jr. Ranger.
The Jr. Ranger competition is an annual fundraising campaign for the National Wildlife Federation, an organization focused on nature preservation that Carli and her family said they are passionate about as lovers of adventure, animals and the outdoors.
“I wanted to get Carli involved with the competition because I think it’s important to learn about conservation at a young age and be involved as much as possible,” Carli’s dad Levi Gray said in an emailed statement. Gray is also Loveland High School’s girls varsity soccer head coach.
Carli loves to go animal watching, Gray said, adding that she freaks out about elk and moose, her favorite animal.
“She thinks they are playing hide and seek because they’re so hard to spot,” Gray said in the emailed statement.
The competition is hosted by biologist and wildlife conservationist Jeff Corwin and is used to not only fundraise for the National Wildlife Federation through votes for each aspiring Jr. Ranger, but also to encourage kids ages 4-12 to share their love for wildlife, according to the Jr. Ranger site.
Gray said Carli was destined to be a Jr. Ranger because he and his fiancé, Callie Lanham, found out about Carli while in Zion National Park in Utah.
“I’ve been passionate about the parks and nature most of my life,” Gray said in the emailed statement. “At a young age I was obsessed with the movie ‘Into The Wild.’ I have been on many trails, visited almost every National Park, and have been on some insane adventures.”
Since having Carli, the family has continued to explore parks all over the country, Gray said. If Carli wins, she will be awarded $20,000, have a wildlife experience with Corwin, and appear in a “Ranger Rick” magazine, which Carli said she loves.
“‘Ranger Rick’ is a fantastic opportunity for kids to learn about nature in a fun and positive way,” Gray said in the emailed statement. “We love Ranger Rick because of the opportunities it gives us to learn about nature with Carli.”
Gray said the $20,000 prize would not only help the family after their recent move to Loveland in January, but also help the family continue their adventures protecting the environment.
“I help make Carli aware by taking her to Rocky Mountain (National Park) every weekend, sometimes daily. I show her the importance of leaving the park better than you found it, and never leave any traces of being there,” Gray said in the statement. “She understands that it’s important for the animals to have a safe and clean environment to live in.”
To vote for Carli, visit https://jr-ranger.org/2026/carli-262c. Voting for the group finalist round ends Thursday evening.
