VISTA of the Month

May 2011: Charlie Walters,

EdVenture Children's Museum

1. Where are you from? I was born in Galveston, Texas and have moved around a lot since then!

2. What were you doing before becoming an AmeriCorps*VISTA? Before becoming a VISTA, I was employed with EdVenture Children’s Museum assisting with exhibits and education.

3. Why did you join AmeriCorps*VISTA? I became a VISTA to challenge myself and to try to make a difference. The position here at EdVenture for an AmeriCorps*VISTA was a job I felt would satisfy both of those things!

4. What are your duties as a VISTA? As the VISTA here at EdVenture, I’m currently coordinating all of our volunteer efforts. My particular focus, aside from the coordination of volunteers, is a program for adolescents called the Museum Apprentice Program (MAP). The MAP is a program that I have had the chance to re-work from the ground up, creating a one year long, volunteer service-based program for 12-16 year olds focusing on professional development, career exploration, and community engagement.

5. What are your goals from your year of service? My goals have been two-fold. The first being to create a solid foundation on which a volunteer program can be built. This has included updating the policies and procedures for the intake and upkeep of volunteers here at EdVenture. The second has been to really figure out what works here with the MAP. Not only has my aim been to receive the support of the museum, but to also receive the support of our community in the offering of this program.

6. What are your plans after your year of service? After this year of service ends in August, I’ll be attending the University of South Carolina, working on my undergraduate degree in anthropology. I’ve been invited to stay on here at EdVenture to continue to work with the Museum Apprentice Program, both in facilitation of the program and efforts to find grant money to further support its endeavors.

7. Any special accomplishments?  The biggest accomplishment for me has been pushing through the first few months of my term of service. I immediately faced obstacles, both personally and professionally, that would have had me running for cover in the past. It was nice to be able to get to the other side of those things and prove to myself that I can stick to something that doesn’t come very easily.

Charlie is currently serving as an AmeriCorps*VISTA at Edventure Children’s Museum

For information about his project, please email him at cwalters@edventure.org or call (803) 400-1163.