Monique Sumner: Teen Library volunteers help create summer fun
Monique Sumner
An essential part of Neuse Regional Libraries success with Youth Programming is due to the enthusiasm and energy of our teen volunteers. Our dedicated teen library volunteers are especially active at their local libraries during the summer. Teen volunteers enjoy engaging with the community and assisting with our children's summer reading program while also participating in their own Teen Summer Reading Program.
As teen volunteers work together, helping with preparing activities and crafts and leading activity stations during programs, they practice and learn new skills like teamwork. Our teen volunteers have further sharpened their teamwork skills in their own summer reading program when they took up the challenge of solving a series of puzzles and riddles during the Island Escape Room sessions. While these teens work hard to help us present our Youth Services summer reading program, they also have many opportunities to have a lot of fun and embrace new adventures as they work together to try new things at teen summer reading sessions like STEM kitchen experiments and games of capture the flag.
It’s not too late for teens to volunteer at their library this summer or into the new school year. Upcoming opportunities for teen volunteers include assisting with after-school STEM programs and the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library Book Sale this August.
Teen volunteers also play an essential role at our Teen Advisory Council meetings. Sessions are open to all teens and are relaxed but active and fun with refreshment stations and games. At the end of each session, teens give the Library their input on how the Library can be even more welcoming to teen patrons. At our June meeting, participants led an input session on the types of library programs they would be most likely to attend. They shared how much they enjoyed previous programs that included hands-on cooking activities. In response, a new program will launch this August. Teen Chef! is a program where teens can learn practical kitchen skills while having fun. Teen Advisory Council meetings occur monthly at Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library in the Teen Area on the second Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m.
Neuse Regional Libraries offer exciting volunteer opportunities for teens in Greene, Lenoir, and Jones Counties at the following locations: Greene County Public Library, Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library, La Grange Public Library, Maysville Public Library, Pink Hill Public Library, Pollocksville Public Library, and Trenton Public Library. Interested students may complete an application available online at https://www.neuselibrary.org/teen-volunteer-application; printed applications are also available at the Youth Services public service desk of Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library or public service desk of your participating local Library.
For more information about the teen volunteer program, please contact the Library at 252-527-7066, Ext. 133.
