Calling Teen Volunteers: Help Historical Societies Go Digital

Imagine uncovering a diary from the 1800s that no one has read in decades—or helping your town’s hidden stories become accessible to thousands of people with just a few clicks. If you’re a high school student looking for a meaningful and original volunteer project, your local historical society might just be the coolest (and most surprising) place to start.

Most historical societies are volunteer-run, often by passionate retirees who know the town’s stories inside and out. But while they may be rich in historical knowledge, they’re often short on tech support. That’s where you come in.

📜 Why Historical Societies Need You

Historical societies preserve the heart and soul of your community: the primary documents, photographs, oral histories, and artifacts that tell us where we’ve been—and help us understand where we’re going. 

But much of this information is still stored in dusty file folders, basement boxes, or barely-functioning websites. Without help, these stories risk fading away.

You, on the other hand, are fluent in search engines, file sharing, and probably have better video-editing skills than most professionals. What if you used your skills to:

  • Digitize fragile letters, photos, or newspapers?
  • Create an organized, searchable online archive?
  • Design a simple, modern website or social media campaign?
  • Record interviews with elders about historical events (and leverage text-to-speech apps to provide keyword-searchable transcriptions)?

Volunteer opportunities for teens with historical societies are significant and impactful!

🌍 Real Projects, Real Impact

To get started, you can use Samaritan Scout, a search engine that scans nonprofit websites across the country to connect people with volunteer opportunities—no signups, no donations required. Even if you don’t see a historical society project already listed, don’t let that stop you! This is your chance to go beyond traditional volunteer roles and offer something truly innovative, like building an online archive or preserving primary sources.

Here are some real examples of historical societies across the U.S. where students like you can make a difference:

If you don’t find a local historical society on Samaritan Scout, do some Internet digging and keep in mind premiere search engines often skip these little websites. After you find the sites, you may not see a volunteer job description, but that’s your invitation to step up and offer your own ideas.

🧠 Learn While You Lead

This isn’t just about service hours—it’s about learning by doing. As you work with historians and local elders, you’ll absorb rich local knowledge and sharpen critical thinking skills. You’ll learn how to handle primary sources, evaluate fact from fiction, and become a true history detective. In an age when so much of our information is filtered through social media or unreliably-edited platforms like Wikipedia, learning how to access and preserve REAL historical sources has never been more urgent.

Plus, your work helps everyone—students, teachers, researchers, and community members—access local history in new, powerful ways.

✉️ How to Reach Out and Get Started

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to kick off your project:

Bonus tip: Try using Samaritan Scout to search for local nonprofits. While the site lists existing volunteer opportunities, it’s also a great way to discover organizations that may not be actively recruiting but would be thrilled to hear from you with a fresh idea.

  1. Find your local historical society.
     A quick Internet search with your town or county + “historical society” could do the trick. Or check state-wide organizations like Wisconsin Historical Society or Minnesota Historical Society.
  2. Send a short, friendly email.
     Introduce yourself, say you’re a student interested in helping digitize materials or support their online presence, and ask if they’d be open to a quick chat.
    Example:


    Hi! My name is [Your Name], and I’m a local high school student. I’m really interested in history and technology, and I was wondering if your historical society could use help with digitizing documents or making your resources more accessible online. I’d love to support your work while learning more about our community. Would you be open to a quick conversation?

  3. Bring project ideas to the table.
     Even if they aren’t sure how to use your help yet, you can suggest:
    • Scanning and organizing photos
    • Building or updating a website
    • Creating social media pages
    • Filming interviews with elders
    • Designing digital exhibits
  4. Make it your own.
     Your project could last a week or become a semester-long passion. You could bring in friends, pitch it to your school as a service-learning project, or even write a blog (or TikTok series!) about what you learn.

📖 Want to Learn More?

  • Library of Congress Digital Collections – See examples of beautifully digitized archives
  • Digital Public Library of America – Explore how organizations share local history online
  • StoryCorps – Get inspired to record your own community’s oral history

🎉 Make Your Mark on the Past

Preserving history isn’t just for scholars and museum curators—it’s for you. With your tech skills, curiosity, and passion, you can help unlock voices from the past, learn your town’s untold stories, and create something lasting for future generations. This is your chance to become part of history—by making it accessible to everyone.

Ready to make your move? Use Samaritan Scout to find a starting point, then reach out with your own vision. This is more than a volunteer gig—it’s a chance to become a bridge between generations, between tech and tradition, and between the past and the future.

So go on. Email that historical society. Open that dusty box. And start making history.

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