Think of them as our teen advisory dream team—shaping programs, sharing passions, and providing behind-the-scenes support at the library. Our Youth Volunteers play an integral part in how we plan our programs for middle and high school students. They also prepare crafts and activities for kids’ programs and help the Friends of the Library set up for their semiannual book sales.
At our Youth Volunteer Meeting in November, one student expressed how much he enjoyed the Five Nights At Freddy’s Book Club–chatting about the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie, books, and video games and doing a quick escape room. He suggested we do something similar when the Minecraft Movie came out. So, our recent Minecraft Fan Party was born. Plus, we have more Minecraft fun scheduled for this summer.
Most of the Homeschool Hangouts for the 12-and-up group this year were based on ideas generated by the students. At our first Homeschool Hangout in the fall, the students talked about how much they love the Wings of Fire book series, certain board games, video games, and Halloween. So, we had a Wings of Fire book club, a game day, and a Halloween party, among other programs that resulted from that brainstorming session. After the Wings of Fire book club, one student mentioned how excited she was to discover new books while listening to book recommendations from her fellow Wings of Fire fans.
We asked our youth volunteers about their favorite parts of volunteering at the Library. Multiple volunteers responded that helping the Friends of the Library set up for their book sales is one of their favorites. One student said, “I just like helping out here. I think it’s fun.” She enjoys getting to see the book sales come together as many helping hands work together.
Students who get involved by volunteering develop new skills, interests, and connections. At our volunteer meeting in March, our staff asked students what they have learned by volunteering. One student answered that by volunteering, she has been inspired by meeting new people and discovering their personalities. She feels it increases her motivation to help others.
We are always looking for students in grades 5 – 12, who want to give back to their community, earn volunteer experience, or just love being around books. If that describes you or your middle- or high-school-aged child, you can reach out to us by filling out this form, and our staff will reach out with future volunteer opportunities!