The New Bedford Whaling Museum has many diverse goals, not all of which are devoted to the specifics of whaling history.  Part of the institution’s mission is to promote the local history and heritage of the city and region, and there are many programs devoted to this specific cause.

One such program is the work of the Museum’s Community Science Programs Manager Robert Rocha with the New Bedford Citizen Schools project.  Citizen Schools is a national network connecting middle-school age “apprentices” with members of the local community.  The students meet with these mentors to learn a skill or idea that might not be covered as extensively during normal school hours.  The mentors are volunteers – all of whom provide a base of knowledge and experience from their own specific fields.

Rocha has been volunteering with Citizen Schools for several years, and on December 10, he and his seven students participated in a videoconference with the Peabody-Essex Museum.

Most people are familiar with the “old” in the Museum – the skeletons, the paintings, the objects, but few know about the “new.”  Each year, thousands of students from the area and beyond visit the Museum and participate in Rocha’s science programs in the state-of-the-art ECHO Resource Center. 

The Center has a great deal of sound and video equipment, not to mention wireless capabilities.  Videoconferencing has been done in the past with students from Alaska (as part of the ECHO program), and has connected area schools with their counterparts in various regions of the country.

The conference with the Peabody-Essex is just the latest example.  Students in Rocha’s apprenticeship were charged with discovering their personal heritage and history.  They chose and researched one country that is important to their backgrounds, and created several projects.

The conference was with three high school and one college student participating in an Immigrants Oral History internship at the Peabody-Essex.  Students at each institution were able to share stories, present items and artifacts, and learn about various cultures that each had researched. 

Behind the scenes at the Museum are thousands of moving parts, so for Rocha to be able to donate his time to something as worthy as Citizen Schools is certainly of note.

New Bedford Whaling Museum

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world's most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales and whaling.

The cornerstone of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located in the heart of the city's historic downtown at 18 Johnny Cake Hill.

Open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month, admission is free for members and children under the age of 6, $10 for adults, $9 for seniors (59+) and students with a valid ID, and $6 for children ages 6-14.

For a complete calendar of events and programs, visit the Museum online at www.whalingmuseum.org.

View all articles by New Bedford Whaling Museum