The Sacramento Children’s Museum in Rancho Cordova is recruiting 15 to 18-year-old high school students. The volunteers will take part in a leadership and teaching program aimed at young children up to the age of eight.

The stated goal of the museum is to “inspire, create, and explore” and the volunteers will facilitate the various education-based programs.

“Children will learn while they play,” Customer Service Advisor Dustin Perry said. “The volunteers will assist mostly weekends while school is in session, possibly some Friday evenings.”

The teens are asked to commit to 40 hours over a four month period to expose young children to science, art, and story times.

Five volunteers attended the kickoff orientation session to learn their duties. West Campus High School students Alexis Dunbar and Lynzie Baca, Walnut High School student Samantha Eckhoff, and Antelope High School students Joey Perry and Collin Le plan to take advantage of the community service opportunity. More teenagers are expected to step forward in the coming weeks. “We hope to have a total of ten teen volunteers by the end of this month,” Museum fundraiser Megan Toland said.

“Community service is an ever increasing requirement for high school students,” Sacramento Children’s Museum Executive Director Sharon Stone Smith said. “They can gain a deeper understanding of responsibility, creativity, and follow-through that will benefit them in their future professional life.”

Megan Toland says she envisions the facility as “a happy place” where kids can stretch their imaginations and learn how things work in a hands-on environment under the guidance of the teen volunteers.

The Rancho Cordova Children’s Museum is located at 2701 Prospect Park Drive, Rancho Cordova. Sophomore, junior, and senior high school students may get more information about the program at http://www.sackids.org/.