The Association of Science-Technology Center's YouthALIVE! program
supports the development and implementation of youth programs in
science centers and children's museums around the country. YouthALIVE!
is a national initiative of the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund.
YouthALIVE! programs provide young people, ages 10 to 17, particularly
those from low-income communities, with positive experiences that
integrate work and education, and that foster communication skills, an
interest in learning and an enhanced sense of self-esteem.
The YouthALIVE! initiative helps museums establish and strengthen
community partnerships. Museums are collaborating with community
centers, public housing developments, Boys & Girls Clubs, and other
youth-serving organizations.
The YouthALIVE! initiative supports a professional development network
of grantees dedicated to promoting the development of quality youth
programming in museums.
One example of a YouthALIVE! program is at the
New York Hall of Science
4701 111th Street
Corona, NY 11368
(718) 699-0005 Fax: (718) 699-1341
The YouthALIVE! programs at the New York Hall of Science are part of
the Science Career Ladder, a career-access program for
underrepresented youth. The Career Ladder has rungs at levels from
junior high school through college. The YouthALIVE! programs focus on
junior high school and high school and feed directly into the
undergraduate program.
Junior High School: The museum offers a Saturday Science Club for
unaccompanied youth who register for a month at a time. High school
and college-level students provide guidance in exhibit interpretation,
homework assistance, and hands-on science activities. In the Big
Buddies Program, junior high school youth and college-level students
interpret exhibits in teams.
High School Interns begin as Public Program Assistants and then move
on to Explainer Intern positions. High school youth are actively
involved in the public life of the museum, providing interpretation,
demonstrations, help with orientation of family and school groups, and
a variety of special events. All high school students receive pay for
their work.
More program descriptions and addtional information about YouthALIVE!
may be found on ASTC's website at www.astc.org/astc under in the
_Youth Programs_ link under "About ASTC".
For more information contact Tanya Tucker, YouthALIVE!, 1025 Vermont
Avenue, Suite 500, Washington, DC, 20005; 202/783-7211; -7207 (fax)
-Steve
Steve Eichner
Research Analyst
Association of Science-Technology Centers
|