Summer Teen Docent program a success for Historical Society

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Summer Teen Docent program a success for Historical Society

Around Osceola

Wednesday, 11 August 2010 00:00

From the Osceola
County Historical Society
The Osceola County Historical Society’s summer Teen Docent/Youth Leadership program is in its final weeks as it will conclude when the teens return to school in late August, and the program has proven beneficial to both the Historical Society and to the teen volunteers.
The docents have been welcoming visitors to the Society’s Pioneer Village at 750 N. Bass Road in Kissimmee and explaining about the exhibits on a daily basis since June, and have been serving in the crucial role of youth leaders to the young campers of the OCHS Pioneer For A Day program.
The Teen Docent/Youth Leadership program offers work experience in the museum field and fosters responsibility and leadership growth applicable to any future career goals. It began on June 18 with a full day of rigorous training.
The program is also recognized as an outlet for the teens to accrue community volunteer service hours which can be applied as credit toward certain school curriculum and college preparatory program requirements.
“I joined the volunteer program at the Historical Society because it was a good opportunity to gain community service hours,” Alejandro “Alex” Quiel, 17, a senior at Haines City High School, said. Alex plans to study political science in college, and has aspirations to one day become a congressman. At Haines City High, he is a member of the National Honor Society, where he is president of student government and the key club.
This is Alex’s second year of participation in the Teen Docent program.
Cara Clough, 16, is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program as a junior at Gateway High School.
“I am actively involved in the school’s drama club and couldn’t be prouder of its achievements. I joined the Historical Society’s Teen Docent program as an interesting way to learn about the community I live in, and I aspire to have a possible career in archaeology,” Cara said.
Michael Russo, 16, whose interests include carpentry, working with electronics, and history, said, “I’m involved with the technical theater department at my school, the Osceola County School for the Arts, which allows me to learn how to work on various productions, learn a lot about the things involved with the department, and also with things happening outside the department. My career aspirations would be to work as a technician, either on a stage, or on a movie set.
“I applied for the society’s Teen Docent/Youth Leadership program because it would allow me to get involved with my other interest — history. While working as a Teen Docent, I’ve learned a lot about history, both about Florida history and history from places in other parts of the United States, and even some parts of the world.”
Kassandra Dower, 16, is also a student attending Osceola County School for the Arts.
“Having a passion for the visual arts, I’m currently studying visual arts at my school and hope to pursue a career in that field someday,” Kassandra, a regular volunteer at the Historical Society, said. “I enjoy volunteering and plan to continue to volunteer in the future,” Kassandra added.
Megan McKinney, 16, attends Harmony High School and is a rising senior.
“I enjoy canoeing, fishing and playing the guitar,” Megan said.
She hopes to become a park ranger after attending college and has found the society’s Mary Kendall Steffee Nature Preserve especially helpful toward her interests.
“I joined the Teen Docent program because I believe the experience will help me as a park ranger,” Megan said.
The summer teen docents also get to work with and learn from OCHS’ regular and long-time volunteers, affording them an opportunity to share in the overall volunteer experience. And a surprising residual of that experience unique to working at the Pioneer Village is the opportunity to meet visitors who are not just Floridians, but people from around the world, who gladly share aspects of their own cultures and history with the docents.
And, Megan concludes, “I enjoy talking to people coming here from Europe because they are always in a good mood.”