Hello,

I work in a museum with a turn of the century village. We have a junior
interpreter program with about 60 children age 7 to 14.  I am not happy with
the way the program is running, because I don't think the children are
getting much out of it other than having an opportunity to dress up in period
costume.

I therefore am looking to turn this into more of an educational (yet fun)
experience for the children while teaching them how to interpret the village
(and maybe the museum center later).   I would also like to limit the amount
of children involved, because I think we have more than we can handle right
now.

I would like to find people at other institutions - historical as well as
others who have experience with young docent programs.

How are the programs structured?  What type of exposure to the public do the
children have?  training?  Do you have levels of interpreters and how do the
children move from one level to the next - by the number of years they are
involved in the program or by some sort of testing?  How do you determine who
can be in the program?

Any assistance / advice is very appreciated!

Kim Stull
Collections/Public Programs Manager
Midway Village and Museum Center
6799 Guilford Road
Rockford, IL  61107
(815) 397-9112

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