Overview
People of all ages can take part in the historic preservation process, including through Preserve America, Preserve America Youth Summits, Passport in Time, and more. Refer to the sections below for a description of each program.
Preserve America
Preserve America is a federal initiative that supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy the country’s priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the program include a greater shared knowledge about the nation's past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities. Preserve America Stewards celebrates programs in which volunteers make substantial contributions to local preservation efforts.
Preserve America Youth Summits
Preserve America Youth Summits offer students hands-on opportunities to engage with historic preservation and interact with local, state, and federal governments as well as many other preservation and community organizations. The summits take place in several locations each summer.
Passport in Time
Passport in Time (PIT) is a volunteer archaeology and historic preservation program run by the U.S. Forest Service. PIT volunteers work with professional archaeologists and historians in national forests throughout the U.S. on such diverse activities as archaeological surveys and excavations, rock art restoration, archival research, historic structure restoration, oral history gathering, and analysis and curation of artifacts.
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offers volunteer opportunities on public lands throughout the country. Volunteers can work to protect and preserve natural resources, serve as a youth leader or interpretive guide, update surveys, work on publications, and more.
Journey Through Hallowed Ground
Of the Student, By the Student, For the Student is a program offered by the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership that gives students in the National Heritage Area ranging from Gettysburg, PA to Charlottesville, VA the opportunity to learn about historic preservation while creating their own mini-documentaries about historic sites.
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) has collected several service learning opportunities on its website.