Teen Volunteer Program

The Teen Volunteer Program at the National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC) was established to promote youth involvement at NMMC. NMMC professional staff and volunteers recruit local high school students to work with the public with interactive interpretation and provide exemplary visitor services. By having teens participate in this program, NMMC prepares and inspires students to become active participants in shaping their community, society, and the museum profession.

Teen Hospitality Ambassadors help staff the Visitor Information Desk, as well as greet and orient visitors as they entering the Museum. Teen Hospitality Ambassadors are responsible for answering visitors’ general questions about the Museum while acting in a responsible and professional manner as representatives of the NMMC. Teen Hospitality Ambassadors generally work on weekends, during holidays, and school breaks.

Teen Volunteer Program training is conducted during the summer and includes 20 hours of formal classroom work with an additional 20 hours under the direction of senior volunteer mentors, totaling 40 hours of training. Volunteers will be instructed on front desk protocols to include checking out wheelchairs, answering the phone, handling object donations, and greeting visitors. They will also be instructed on appropriate museum terminology and practices, NMMC history, gallery information, and general security procedures. Training will include a history of the USMC as presented within the NMMC galleries, and object interpretation while staffing interactive gallery carts. Evaluation will be done once training is completed and will be performed by peers, docents, and staff.

By participating in the Teen Volunteer Program, students will gain many intrinsic benefits that will support their future goals. NMMC’s past and current teen volunteers have said that they developed leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills throughout their involvement in the NMMC Teen Volunteer Program as well as gaining a sense of pride in themselves and in their communities.

Students interested in joining the NMMC Teen Volunteer Program must be at least 16 years old, highly motivated, interested in history, and willing to work with the public. Volunteers are expected to commit to the program for one year and work a minimum of eight hours each month. Students will be required to submit an application and a signed parental permission form to be considered for the NMMC Teen Volunteer Program.