MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- The Parris Island Museum has created a program that allows children to earn the title of "Junior Recruit."
The Junior Recruit Program is aimed at educating children on the history and traditions of the Marine Corps, while providing a fun activity at the same time.
Yvette Shaffer, a volunteer for the Parris Island Museum, helped coordinate the Junior Recruit Program along with Dr. Bryan Howard, the Depot archaeologist and museum curator.
Shaffer said she wanted to come up with an interactive program for children that would be fun and educational.
"We needed something the kids could interact with the museum with," said Shaffer. "I wanted it not only to expose them to Marine Corps traditions and history, but to also give them something fun to do while they're touring the museum."
"After thinking over how recruits come through the museum, that's where we came up with the 'Junior Recruit' idea - have the kids go through the museum similar to how recruits do - to learn about Marine traditions and topics," added Howard.
It took about a year for the program to fully come into effect, said Shaffer.
According to Shaffer, the program targets children from reading level to about age 14, and signing up for the program is easy. All they have to do is ask the front desk for a Junior Recruit workbook, which includes 12 questions that pertain to Marine Corps history and traditions.
"They just come up and ask the front desk for the workbook, and it's at their own pace or in groups," said Shaffer. "We've even had kids do competitions to see who could answer all their questions first."
For the debut of the program, which was May 26, Shaffer even brought in her own children, Storm, 13, and Sterlen, 11, to go through the workbook and see how many questions they could answer.
Ten-year-old Jean-Marc Lavigne, a Beaufort resident, was the first child to successfully complete the program. As a reward, he received an embroidered Junior Recruit patch.
"It was challenging, and it was also fun," said Lavigne, who went through the program with his 8-year-old sister, Margaret. "I definitely liked the feeling of when you finish it and you get the feeling of accomplishment. It was also a cool way to see the museum."
Once children have completed the workbook and answered each question correctly, they will receive either a Junior Recruit certificate of completion or a Junior Recruit patch. The patches were donated by the Parris Island Historical & Museum Society.
On high-volume days like Family Day and Graduation, participants in the program will receive a certificate rather than a patch. In order to receive a patch, individuals are encouraged to complete the program Saturdays through Wednesdays. This is due to the limited availability of the patches.
According to Howard, the program so far has accomplished its goal, which is "to help kids [and adults with them] learn more about the Marine Corps, and, like recruits earning their Eagle, Globe and Anchor, they have something to look forward to when they successfully finish. That's why I insist the patch be earned by kids - we don't give them out, they earn them."
Museum hours of operation are 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily on non-graduation weeks; Saturday-Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Thursday, 10 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on graduation weeks.