The Urban Archaeology Corps | Mary Furlong Minkoff Presentation

The Urban Archaeology Corps: Rethinking Youth Employment and Archeology in the NPS Mary Furlong Minkoff In an effort to rethink youth employment, archaeological education, the contributions young people can make to NPS, and how we can start to reshape the Park Service in order to effectively serve the next generation of Americans the Urban Archaeology Corps (UAC) was created. An experimental youth employment program in the National Capital Region, the UAC employs underserved and minority youth in the Washington, DC area and tasks them with conducting archeological investigations, conducting historical research, and producing outreach materials about the District’s urban parks. The tasks are designed to help the park meet immediate needs for information and community outreach and expose the youth participants to careers in NPS and cultural resources management. What has resulted is a program that is a mix of school, summer camp, and work unlike any of the youth programs in the region.