Daily Reporter staff reports
FISHERS — A new class of youth volunteers has been selected to join Conner Prairie as it prepares to open for the outdoor season on March 26.
More than 60 youth ages 10 through 18 applied for a chance to participate in this selective program. Lillian Davis, 13, from Mt. Vernon Middle School was one of only 20 chosen.
“It’s wonderful to see so many of today’s local youth excited about history and the willingness to immerse themselves in it,” Sarah Morin-Wilson, youth experience manager at Conner Prairie. “Many of those who were selected have diverse backgrounds with experiences in theatre, Girl Scouts and 4-H. Many are also artists, writers and equestrians, as well as accomplished YouTubers!”
Youth volunteers participating in the program are required to volunteer for a full year with a minimum of 120 hours. Responsibilities include playing historical games with visitors and leading hands-on activities in modern-day clothing as third-person interpreters. They are also tasked with portraying fictional characters from the 1800s as first-person interpreters in historical costumes. Other duties include volunteering to help care for the museum’s animals, participating in special events and performing behind-the-scenes roles.
Those chosen underwent training earlier in the month when they toured Conner Prairie’s grounds, played team-building games and created an imaginary theme park to learn guest service skills.
Conner Prairie spans more than 1,000 wooded acres in Central Indiana and welcomes more than 400,000 visitors of all ages annually. The facility offers various outdoor, historically themed encounters and indoor experiential learning spaces that combine history and art with science, technology, engineering and math to offer an authentic look into history that shapes society today. Visit connerprairie.org for more information.
