Get Involved!

Internship and Volunteer Positions
Awards and Essay Contests
Beyond High School

Internship and volunteer opportunities are a great way to get hands-on experience in the heritage field. Whether you get involved with a docent program, research, or archives, you may discover previously unknown opportunities and make some great contacts.

Awards and essay contests are a great way to gain recognition for all your hard work. Not only do awards and contests come with a prize, they are also great résumé builders! Be sure to nominate your favorite social studies teachers and librarians for Educator Awards so they receive the recognition they deserve!

Internship And Volunteer Positions: High School

Cowlitz County Historical Museum has volunteer opportunities for high school students filling their 20 hours of community service requirement for graduation. Students have served in a variety of capacities including creating sample craft projects, helping with after-school tours, working at the museum’s reception desk, and assisting with special programs.
http://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/museum/volinfo.htm

Experience Music Project has internship and volunteer opportunities available for high schoolers. Internships are for students 16 and older; the volunteer program is for adults and youth that are at least entering their senior year of high school.
http://www.empsfm.org/jobs/index.asp?categoryID=63

Fort Nisqually High School Apprentice Interpreter program is a hands-on learning program that incorporates re-enactor skills and the learning of trades as part of a comprehensive training program that allows high school students the opportunity to enhance their 19th century skills in order to share these with the public.  This involves both learning and leading as part of the program and includes volunteering at Fort Nisqually as an integral part of the learning experience. This program begins in January of each year.
http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=839

Historical Society of Federal Way offers research opportunities, school community service credit and volunteer opportunities, and internships.
http://www.federalwayhistory.org

Log House Museum Teen Docent Program was designed to provide a structured yet stimulating chance for motivated high school/college students to work in a museum setting. It allows local students to earn required community service hours and gain valuable experience. In addition to working as a docent or in the gift shop, it allows students to design individual projects that work with their busy schedules. Opportunities are available to work in areas such as collections and archiving. http://www.loghousemuseum.info/teacher.php.

Museum of Flight offers an Apprentice Program for high school students. All MAP participants complete a 12-hour training course on exhibit design, presentation techniques, and aviation history.  After the training class, participants choose one of three Apprentice Pathways for continuing a year-long (30-hour minimum) volunteer commitment to the Museum. 
http://www.museumofflight.org/programs/museum-apprentice-program

Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) relies on its volunteers every day to help with every aspect of the museum. MOHAI volunteers teach educational programs, give weekend tours, assist with special events, conduct oral history interviews, and help with preservation of MOHAI’s rich collection.
http://seattlehistory.org/

National Archives and Records Administration/ Pacific NW Region offers internships opportunities for students. http://www.archives.gov/pacific-alaska/seattle/public/programs/

Northwest African American History Museum has a limited number of internships available for high school and college students.
http://naamnw.org/volunteers_jobs.html

Shoreline Historical Museum has internships for both high school students and college students and are custom-designed for each individual.  College students may focus on an area of interest, such as the archives, or request a general internship.  High school internships maintain a general focus, and are conducted on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. For more information visit http://www.shorelinehistoricalmuseum.org/education.htm

White River Valley Museum has a Junior Curator’s Summer Camp, where participants explore the museum’s collections, research mysterious historic artifacts, create art projects with recycled photographs, perform conservation experiments, and learn history through games.
http://www.wrvmuseum.org/index.htm

Internship And Volunteer Positions: College/University

Experience Music Project has internship and volunteer opportunities available for college students.
http://www.empsfm.org/jobs/index.asp?
categoryID=63

Historic Seattle offers a number of ongoing opportunities to those who wish to become involved with the organization as a volunteer
http://www.historicseattle.org/join/
volunteeroppbeta.aspx
or as an intern
http://www.historicseattle.org/
join/internshipopps.aspx.

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site and the Vancouver National Historical Reserve (NHR) offer an internship in public history, where a student earns credit at their college or university while working on a directed public history project for the park.
http://www.nps.gov/personnel/intern.htm

HistoryLink.org is on the lookout for interested and qualified interns to work with HistoryLink project managers, graphic designers, office personnel, and staff historians.  Interested?
Contact: education@historylink.org

Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) relies on its volunteers every day to help with every aspect of the museum. MOHAI volunteers teach educational programs, give weekend tours, assist with special events, conduct oral history interviews, and help with preservation of MOHAI’s rich collection.
http://seattlehistory.org/

Nordic Heritage Museum has unpaid internships available primarily in the areas of Collections, Marketing, and Education. Internships are catered to both the student and the Museum’s needs and therefore no specific internship descriptions are available. Visit the website for more information.

Northwest African American History Museum has a limited number of internships available for high school and college students.
http://naamnw.org/volunteers_jobs.html

Washington State Library offers opportunities for college students with an interest in history. The two volunteer opportunities currently offered are the Historical Newspapers Online Project (contact Beth Bowden at ebowden@secstate.wa.gov) and the Historical Records Project (contact Terri Huntley at thuntley@secstate.wa.gov).

Wing Luke Museum’s Education Department holds trainings as needed for volunteer docents, who lead school tours. In addition, oral history trainings are available for the public through the Governor Gary Locke Library and Community Heritage Center.
http://wingluke.org/volunteer.htm

Awards And Essay Contests

Student Awards

Association of King County Historical Organizations (AKCHO) Youth Awardis presented to a King County student (K-12) or students who have made an outstanding contribution to the heritage community with service or through a project that has benefited the community at large. Nominations for this annual award are due in February and awards are presented in April. 
http://www.wingluke.org/home.htm

Daniel J. Evans Award
The Daniel J. Evans Civic Education Award recognizes students who have demonstrated that they understand the state's essential academic learning requirements in civics. Students must demonstrate this understanding through leadership in the civic life of the students' communities and completion of at least one of the Classroom-Based Assessments in civics developed by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). OSPI will select four students for the award each year and will notify the governor and legislature with the recipient's names. Nomination deadline is usually in early June. For more information or to obtain a nomination form, please visit
http://www.k12.wa.us/SocialStudies/DJEvans/default.aspx or view the Agency memorandum. 

The Walt Crowley Student Historical Paper of Merit Award is presented to a student-written historical paper that is awarded first place in th competition and highlights a relevant aspect of Washington state history.  The student with the winning historical paper will receive a monetary award at the North Puget Sound Regional History Day awards ceremony and will be invited to HistoryLinkorg’s annual HistoryLunch as a special guest. The winning historical paper will be posted on HistoryLink.org.’s website along with a brief biography of the student author. For more information, contact admin@historylink.org

Shoreline Historical Museum Award for History Day
For more information, contact shorelinehistorical@juno.com

University of Washington History Department presents several awards and essay contests for University of Washington History students annually.
http://depts.washington.edu/history/
studying/undergrad/scholar.html#Millican

Essay Contests

Dr. Martin Luther Jr. Essay Contest is open to all 8th grade students attending pubic and private schools in King County.  The purpose of the essay contest is to encourage middle and junior high school students to think critically about Dr. King’s legacy of peace and justice.
http://www.kingcounty.gov/exec/crc/MLKessay.aspx

Jacob Friedman Holocaust Writing and Art Contest is an annual essay contest sponsored by the Washington State Holocaust Education Center. This annual contest was founded by Henry Friedman to honor his father's legacy.  Friedman believes that:  "Jacob … would feel honored that students would have the opportunity to learn from the Holocaust and learn that each person is special and can make a difference, and therefore will not be indifferent when there is injustice. We do have the power to make a difference."    The contest is open to all students in grades 5-12 in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska).  More than 750 schools participated in the contest in 2010. Excerpts from winning essays are featured on the Resource Center's website and there are monetary prizes awarded.  The contest deadline is usually in the spring. For more information write ilanak@wsherc.org.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest is an annual contest that invites high school students from across the nation to write an original essay about an elected official who has demonstrated political courage.  The contest is a companion program of the Profile in Courage Award, named for President Kennedy’s 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Profiles in Courage, which recounts the stories of eight senators, the obstacles they faced, and the special valor they demonstrated despite the risks. Teachers are encouraged to participate in the Essay Contest as part of a class project.

Winning essayists will receive awards totaling up to $13,500. The first-place winner will be invited to accept the award at the Profile in Courage Award Ceremony hosted each May by Caroline Kennedy at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.  To encourage student leadership and civic engagement, the nominating teacher of the first-place winner will receive a John F. Kennedy Public Service Grant for $500.

The Profile in Courage Essay Contest is approved by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. For more information
http://www.jfklibrary.org/Education+and+Public+
Programs/Profile+in+Courage+Award
/Essay+Contest+for+High+School+Students

University of Washington History Department presents several awards and essay contests for University of Washington History students annually.
http://depts.washington.edu/history
/studying/undergrad/scholar.html#Millican

Washington State History Day puts on regional, state, and national contests every spring.
http://www.washingtonhistory.org
/HistoryDay/HDawards.aspx

Educator Awards

The Pressly Prize, named for University of Washington emeritus professor of History Thomas Pressly and his wife, Cameron, recognizes outstanding teaching at the secondary level in the state of Washington. The Department relies entirely on nominations from students to bring worthy candidates to our attention. Nominations are accepted from any current University of Washington undergraduate or graduate student.

Beyond High School

University, College, and Junior College Degrees, Programs, and Classes

Are you thinking about studying History, Education, Museology or Archaeology after high school? There are many great private and public programs in Washington state that provide classes and/or degrees in all four of these fields.

State Universities:

• University of Washington offers degrees, programs, and classes in Museology, Archaeology, History, and Education
• Western Washington University offers degrees, programs, and classes in Museology, Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Central Washington University offers degrees, programs, and classes in Museology, Archaeology, History, and Education
• Eastern Washington University offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.

Private Colleges:

• Antioch University Seattle offers degrees, programs, and classes in Education.
• Gonzaga University offers degrees, programs, and classes in History and Education.
• Heritage University offers a degree, programs, and classes in Education.
• Northwest University offers degrees, programs, and classes in History and Education.
• Pacific Lutheran University offers degrees, programs, and classes in History and Education.
• Saint Martin’s University offers degrees, programs, and classes in Museology, History, and Education.
• Seattle Pacific University offers degrees, programs, and classes in History and Education.
• Seattle University offers degrees, programs, and classes in History and Education.
• University of Puget Sound offers degrees, programs, and classes in History and Education.
• Walla Walla University offers degrees, programs, and classes in History and Education.
• Whitman College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Whitworth University offers degrees, programs, and classes in History and Education.

Community Colleges:

• Bellevue Community College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History and Education.
• Centralia College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Clark College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archeology and History.
• Columbia Basin College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Edmonds Community College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Everett Community College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Green River Community College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Highline Community College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Lower Columbia College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Northwest Indian College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Education.
• Peninsula College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Pierce College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Seattle Community Colleges offer degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Shoreline Community College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Skagit Valley College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Spokane Community College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• South Puget Sound College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Tacoma Community College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Walla Walla Community College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Wenatchee Community College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology and History.
• Whatcom County College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.
• Yakima Valley Community College offers degrees, programs, and classes in Archaeology, History, and Education.

Careers In History

History is an invaluable field – whether you choose to focus on academia or on public history, education, or museology, there are numerous directions to take. The American Historical Association provides a helpful list of potential careers for students of history.