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Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Dear Skoshi,



My name is Ken and currently I am running the High school Explainer  
program here at the Exploratorium... High School students have been  
our interpretive staff on the museum floor since we opened 39 years  
ago.  We employ students 15 – 19, hiring three times (Summer Fall &  
Spring) throughout the year and have many who work more than one term.

Also, I began our summer camp program here (ten years ago) and some  
of our early participants grown up and become explainers!  Not really  
on my radar when I got things going but an enormous thrill when it  
happened.

These experience caused me to take note of your posting to the ASTC  
listserv.

Other places (New York Hall of Science) have defined career ladders…  
we do not… yet.  I have been un-mothballed to run a 11-14 year old  
summer camp program here and have unofficially been using it stock  
the High School Explainer program (not completely… just a few kids  
each year).

Anyway, what I have been doing here might help you figure out where  
you could take your thing.  I can go on and on and I am happy to chat  
with you on the telephone (my communication tool of choice) if you  
would like to explore ideas regarding directions you all could take  
what you have.

I realize what we do is not exactly what you do, but there are a lot  
of common threads.

Have good evening,

Ken
On Oct 8, 2008, at 3:51 PM, Skoshi Wise wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
> ********************************************************************** 
> *******
>
> Hello,
> I am looking for models of successful teen volunteer programs,  
> specifically
> during summer months.
>
> Currently we have a Teen Internship Program where teens earn 40  
> hours of
> community service by working with a summer camp (20 hours), exhibit
> interpreting during public hours (16 hours) and a behind the scenes  
> project
> (4 hours).  At the end of the summer they get a letter for their  
> school
> stating that they completed the 40 hour program and usually a small  
> stipend
> ($50-$100).  The trouble is that once they do the program one  
> summer, we
> lose them.  I would like to figure out a way to offer the  
> outstanding teens
> from the summer before a paid position at the museum the following  
> summer to
> give them an incentive to return.  I would like to see it develop  
> to the
> point that as these teens get older they take on more of a leadership
> position in the summer camp and finally teach the camps when they  
> are old
> enough.  Does anyone have a program similar to this model?  If so,  
> where do
> you find the funds to pay the teens?  What works?  What does not work?
> Please tell all...
>
> Thanks in advance for your responses.
>
> -- 
> Skoshi Wise
> Director of Education
> ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum
> 541.482.6767 ext. 26
>
> ********************************************************************** 
> *
> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers  
> and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
>
> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at  
> www.exhibitfiles.org.
>
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Ken Finn
High School Explainer Program Manager
Exploratorium
Center for Learning and Teaching
415) 561-0365


***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
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