If you enjoy astronomy and love helping others discover the wonders of the universe, this is a great opportunity to inspire the next generation of stargazers. We will be hosting an astronomy area at West Carrollton Early Childhood STEAM night. The stations will be about planets, and the 2nd about the telescope. Volunteers should enjoy working with families (children will be preschool - 1st grade), be excited about exploring the sky, and engage families in astronomy activities. Sharing your time and talents to support these outreach programs, helps to put excitement and perspective into this unique experience. Volunteers need to have qualified as Astronomy volunteers and be able to comfortably interpret the night sky, guide constellation viewing, and share information about the planets and the telescope.
Impact
Volunteers enable us to accomplish so much more by lending a hand in various activities. They may demonstrate proper use of specialized equipment (e.g., a telescope), share their skills and experience to encourage additional volunteer participation, and introduce other volunteers and participants to exciting science and night sky exploration.
Tasks
- Assist with the setup and teardown stations and of the telescope.
- Welcome and greet participants to your station.
- Assist the staff lead in training additional volunteers in astronomy activities available at the program.
- Oversee staged equipment and assist participants in using the telescope.
- Assist participants in discovering areas of interest in the sky.
- Assist in engaging families in the astronomy activities.
- May assist with documenting the event through photos or video.
- Participate in debriefing and evaluating current activities.
- Encourage volunteerism and help direct to the website for information
Eligibility
This opportunity is open to individual, long-term volunteers, ages 18 and up, who have qualified as Safety Boater.
- GET STARTED: This opportunity requires Volunteer Onboarding (Profile, Volunteer Handbook Signature, and for those 18 and up, an eligible background check), plus Astronomy Assistant Interest and Assessment and interview. Simply click the blue RESPOND button to begin completing the required qualifications or click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer.
- Volunteers must complete the Astronomy Assistant Interest and Assessment and Interview to qualify for this opportunity.
Additional Note
- Parking and Meeting Instructions: Please arrive 15 minutes early to allow for parking and to meet the staff inside at our booth. The staff lead will orient volunteers to the stations and review the agenda for the evening.
- Cancellation: If you need to cancel a shift last minute or are running late, please contact the staff lead.
- Environment and Physical Demands: This program takes place primarily indoors. Volunteers will participate in bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15 lbs. or more.
- Dress: Volunteers should dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Please wear your MetroPark Volunteer name badge and volunteer apparel. If you have not yet received your official name badge, please reach out to Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org.
Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.
Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and
experience different parts of the parks! Consider these opportunities:
