Volunteers Sought for Mount St. Helens Visitor Center

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The Washington State Parks Department is looking for volunteers to participate in a summer internship at the Mount Saint Helens Visitor Center just east of Castle Rock.

The visitor center is located five miles east of Interstate 5 off of Exit 49, and roughly 50 miles west of Mount Saint Helens. Situated off of Spirit Lake Highway on the long approach to the famous volcano, the Mount Saint Helens Visitor Center is nestled in a patch of second-growth timber across the highway from Seaquest State Park. The facility includes a theater that shows captivating images from the eruption, a functioning seismograph, a walk-through volcano model, an eruption timeline and other displays, as well as a half-mile long boardwalk trail that lets visitors explore the adjacent Silver Lake ecosystem.

The State Parks Department is seeking volunteers to work 24-32 hours per week between June 9 and Sept. 1. While start and end dates are flexible, volunteers must be available to work most weekends.

According to a press release, “The Mount St. Helens Visitor Center is seeking to recruit an Interpretive Naturalist Intern to help staff the Information Desk and assist with nature-based educational programming offered to the public this summer. This experience is unpaid, though course credit can be earned.”

Applications are due by Friday, May 4.

The press release noted that housing options are not available for volunteers. The nearest metropolitan areas are Portland, Oregon, just over 60 miles to the south, and Olympia, which is about 60 miles to the north. The Twin Cities of Centralia and Chehalis are about 30 miles north of the Castle Rock exit and the bergs of Longview and Kelso are about than 20 miles south of the visitor center.



The release added that, “This is a great opportunity for a college student or recent graduate interested in learning about the field of interpretation through hands-on experience.”

Interns will be able to gain experience as an Assistant Parks Interpreter while serving a popular visitor destination. Tasks will include providing basic information to visitors on a range of topics including the geology, ecology and history of the area as it pertains to Mount Saint Helens, the local geography, driving directions and nearby attractions. Interns should be willing to head outside as well in order to lead interpretative walks, and able to think creatively in order to help organize additional educational offerings.

Qualified applicants must be a recent graduate, a student currently enrolled in a local college or working toward a degree in Natural Resource Sciences, Geology, Ecology, History or a related field. A valid driver’s license is required as well as personal transportation.

Applications will be accepted by email at Silver.Lake.@parks.wa.gov. Applicants must include a resume and cover letter detailing their interest in the internship opportunity. It is requested that all applications include “Summer 2018 Internship” in the subject line. A federal background check and fingerprinting is required. 

Additional information can be found online at http://parks.state.wa.us/245/Mount-St-Helens, or by calling State Parks interpretive specialist, Alysa Adams, at 360-274-0962. The Mount Saint Helens Visitor Center is located at 3029 Spirit lake Highway,  Castle Rock, WA 98611.