Meet Clayton. He came to the Creative Discovery Museum as a child and attended CDM camp in the late 1990s. As a homeschooled student, he enjoyed the many trips made to the Museum. One of his first memories of CDM was creating chalk drawings on the plaza. When he was 14, some friends had joined our teen volunteer Museum Apprentice Program (MAP) and they encouraged him to join as well. He volunteered more than 1000 hours before heading off to the Army after high school, then on to college.
As a MAP volunteer, Clayton learned a variety of life and work skills; social skills, interviewing skills, event planning, and how to make personal and work connections. After graduating college, he applied for and became a CDM Museum Educator, working with kids on a variety of programs throughout the Museum. Thanks to his strong work ethic, museum experience, and passion for helping kids, he was promoted to CDM’s Volunteer Assistant Manager in 2021. Today, he hires and trains incoming teen MAP volunteers. Because of his exposure to the Museum at a young age, he is working with kids and teens to potentially lead them on a career path in the arts, sciences, or technology.
Your support of our Annual Fund cultivates the next generation of scientists, artists, teachers, doctors, and yes, museum educators. The annual fund plays a critical role in covering the gap between our annual expenses and the revenues we receive from admissions, memberships, and program fees.
Your contribution will not only support exhibits and programs that inspire lifelong learning in children, but also provide young people and volunteers with the first steps toward a meaningful career.
The impact you can make today helps build brighter tomorrows!
